Broken
by PhantomBrat
Summary: A young boy is admitted to the hospital and ends up in a coma.  Yugi is missing after his friends and new brother ignore him.  Who is this boy and what's going on with Yugi?  Will Yami find his brother in time, or will he be too late?  Read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm just posting this little tidbit to see what everyone thinks. I fully intend on continuing this and the other fics I have going.**

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><p>"We're losing him."<p>

"Come on kid, don't give up now."

"He's not breathing, Doctor."

"His heart's stopped."

"Clear."

The small form on the table twitched.

"I got a heartbeat."

"Get the kid into surgery before we lose him again."

"You heard the Doc. Move!"

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><p><strong>My first ever intentional cliffy of DOOM. Can you guess who the kid is?<strong>

**PhantomBrat out.**


	2. Chapter 2

_There's going to be 'Time Jumps' until the past catches up to the present. So until then, I'll post the 'timeline' in **BOLD** at the beginning of the chapter._

_Enjoy..._

_PhantomBrat out.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Two months earlier…<strong>

"Yugi, I'm going to visit Arthur for a few months. He's going on an expedition in Egypt and has invited me to go with. I trust you and Yami to mind the shop and your chores while I'm gone."

"Of course Grandpa."

"By the way, where's Yami?"

"He went out with the others after school let out."

"Why didn't you go with them?"

"They never asked and besides, I have way too much homework to do."

"I'm going to have a talk with that boy when he gets home. You shared your life and body with him while he was trapped in that Puzzle and this is how he repays you!"

"Grandpa, please, I'm alright. I can talk to him when the others go home."

"Alright, Yugi. Why don't you head upstairs and start on your homework before dinner's ready."

Yugi nodded and headed to his room to start on his nonexistent homework. He had been ahead of his class assignments by two weeks since he had nothing better to do. This had started about two months ago, when Yami began hanging out with the gang. At first, Yugi was included in the outings. But after a month, he had been gradually left out. Since he had nothing else to do in his free time, Yugi began asking his teachers for assignments in advance.

"Yugi, dinner's ready. Wash up and get down here before it gets cold."

"Coming Grandpa."

As Yugi sat down in his chair, his grandfather sighed, "Your mother called. She wanted to know how Yami was adjusting to living here."

"Really? How was she?"

"She was great. She said that the cruise line she's working for is busier than ever. She's sorry she can't make it in time for your birthday this year."

Yugi played with his pasta, "Oh. May I be excused?"

"Of course, Yugi. Just cover your plate and put it away for later."

* * *

><p>Yami and the others came in laughing. "That was great," Joey stated. "Maybe we can hang out at the arcade again, Yami."<p>

Yami smiled, "Sure, but now I need to do some homework. I can't fall behind and Grandpa will have a fit if I do."

"Hey, Yami? Got any food? I'm starving," Joey complained.

Yami shrugged, "I don't know f Grandpa made something for dinner, but you can check."

Joey grinned and headed towards the fridge. He saw a wrapped plate and pulled it out, "Alright, pasta!"

Just as Joey polished off the pasta, Yugi entered the kitchen. He checked the fridge for his plate and saw that it was gone. He looked at Joey and sighed before heading to his room, hungry. "What was that about," Joey questioned.

Yami shrugged, "No idea."

"Thanks for the snack," Joey stated. "I'd better head for home before my dad gets home and locks me out again."

Everyone left and headed for their homes. Yami turned around and saw Solomon standing there. "Oh, hi there Grandpa."

"Where have you been young man?"

"I went to the arcade at the mall with the others after school. I would have called, but I lost track of the time."

"I'm going to be gone for a few months or so, and need you to mind the store and your personal responsibilities while I'm gone."

"Where are you off to, Grandpa?"

"Egypt, to join Arthur on his expedition. By the way, your mom called. She wanted to check up on you and Yugi."

"How is she?"

"Very busy. She's going to be unable to make Yugi's birthday and won't be able to see you for a while longer. She really wanted to meet her new son."

"I'm lucky that she even adopted me."

"Yes, now head to bed. It's getting late and you have the store to look after in the morning."

* * *

><p>Yugi rolled over, trying to fall asleep. He sighed. <em>'I think I should ask Grandpa if he has anything that would help me sleep.'<em>

He slid out of bed and padded to his grandfather's room. The light was still on. Yugi knocked on the door, "Grandpa? Do you have anything that would help me sleep?"

'You look a little pale. Are you alright?"

"I think so. I just can't get to sleep."

Solomon checks Yugi's temp. "You feel a little warm. I think there's still some linden leaf tea in the cupboard. That always helps."

"As long as it doesn't taste like cold medicine, I'll take it."

"I want you to rest tomorrow."

"Ok, I will."

Yugi headed downstairs to make his tea. After it was done, he went back to his room and drank half of the cup before finally falling asleep.

* * *

><p>Solomon knocked on Yugi's door and didn't get a response. He opened the door and saw Yugi sound asleep and the half empty cup of tea on his night stand. <em>'He's going to sleep for a while.'<em>

He took the cup and left the room, closing the door behind him. He set the cup in the sink as Yami came down the stairs. "Yugi didn't sleep too well last night, so you'll be tending the store. Since it's just you, you can close the shop early today."

"Ok, Grandpa."

"I'm taking off shortly. I want you to look after Yugi while I'm gone."

"I will, Grandpa."

"You'd better. You're brothers now and I don't want anything to happen to either of you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Present…**

"How's the kid, Doc?"

"He sustained a concussion, three broken ribs, a broken arm and leg. One of the ribs punctured a lung and he had internal bleeding. There were several wounds that required stitching. He's in a coma and I'm not sure if, or when, he'll wake up. I'm not even sure if the kid's memories will be there with the head trauma. What happened to the poor kid?"

"He was found in an alley, looking like how he was brought in, and barely breathing."

"Any identification?"

"Sorry, doc. The kid didn't have anything. My men didn't find a clue as to who he is either. So how old do you think the kid is?"

"I'd probably say that he's about twelve or thirteen. But that's just a guess. My son says that there's a kid in his class that looks like he should be in the 7th or 8th grade, but he's actually 17 or 18."

"Thank you for your help, doc. I'm going to check back and keep an eye out in case someone's looking for the kid."

"Thank you officer."


	4. Chapter 4

**Two months earlier…**

Yami was left alone in the shop after Solomon left on his trip. He had called Joey over to hang out for a while. Yugi woke up not feeling too well. He got dressed and left his room to find something for his headache. He heard voices coming from downstairs. Realizing that the last bottle of aspirin was in the shop, he went there to get the bottle. Yami saw that he was up. "Would you mind watching the shop?"

Before he could reply and say that he wasn't feeling well, Yami and Joey were gone. Yugi sighed and waited on the few customers that were there before closing up early. After checking to make sure that everything was locked up tightly, Yugi grabbed the pain-killers and headed to the house-end of the building. He made himself a cup of broth and headed back to bed.

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><p>Yugi woke a few hours later and felt worse. He grabbed the thermometer and took his temp. <em>'Great 100.5. I'm just going to stay in bed until this is over.'<em>

He sighed and rolled over to fall asleep again.

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><p>Yami came home and saw that the shop was closed and all the lights were off. <em>'Yugi must have stepped out to get some groceries or something.'<em>

He headed up the stairs to his room. He noticed that Yugi's door was cracked open. Yami went past and entered his room. About midnight, Yami woke up to someone coughing. He got up and closed his door.

* * *

><p>Yugi woke himself up coughing. He got out of bed and fell over his chair on the way to the door. Yugi headed to the bathroom to locate the cough syrup. After taking the medicine, he took the bottle to his room and crawled back into bed.<p>

* * *

><p>Yami got up the next morning and left the house to hang out with the gang. He didn't check on Yugi before leaving. Yugi woke up and realized that he was alone. <em>'Yami must have gone out with the others again. I suppose I should call Ryou and see if he'll come over.'<em>

Yugi called Ryou. "You don't sound too well, Yugi," Ryou stated over the phone. "Why isn't Yami looking after you?"

"He left early this morning," Yugi replied. "He's been hanging out with the others a lot lately."

"Get to bed," Ryou ordered. "I will be over there shortly."

Yugi headed back to his room and curled up on his bed. Ryou arrived within an hour of Yugi's call. He noticed that Yugi had a cold. "Well, there's not much I can do, but I'll bring up some drinks that don't need to be refrigerated. I'll even bring up some crackers," Ryou said. "But other than that, you should just rest."

"Thanks for coming over."

"It was no problem. I was a bit concerned when you looked paler than usual at school the other day. Just get some rest. I need to get home after I bring the stuff up."

* * *

><p>After Ryou left, Yugi fell asleep. Yami came home late and headed to his room. <em>'The lights were off again. I wonder if Yugi is staying at a friend's house tonight. If so, he left his door open again.'<em>

Yami closed Yugi's door on his way to his own room, not even bothering to check if Yugi was sleeping.


	5. Chapter 5

**Present…**

The boy looked pale against the linen. The doctor was concerned when the detective said that no one had reported a missing person fitting the kid's description. _'Someone must surely miss this kid.'_

He checked the boy's vitals and adjusted the machines that were helping the kid to breathe and keeping him alive. A nurse came in and told the doctor that he was needed in a meeting with the Board of Directors.

He groaned inwardly. This meeting was needed to determine the boy's fate. He and a few of his colleagues had decided to fight to keep the kid alive as long as they could. They had worked too hard to save his life and weren't about to give up on him now. They even had some of the nursing staff to back them up.

In fact, some of the nurses had taken to calling the comatose boy a 'Sleeping Angel'. The pet name seemed to fit, as the boy had a radiating aura of innocence.

"Doctor Campbell, it seems that you and several members of the hospital staff have petitioned the Board in regards to an unidentified boy. You stated in this request that he is currently in a coma and has severe life-threatening injuries. You are asking that we allow you to keep said youth on life-support until he wakes, is deemed beyond help, or a family member or guardian comes forward to give their decision. We have decided to give you the go ahead. But a social worker from the district will have to make any future decisions regarding the boy."

"Thank you, members of the Board."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the reviews.**

**Luiz4200-You'll see whether or not there's a search for him in the next few chapters. In fact, I'll likely do a major post; one chapter each day as I've already done up to chapter 16 as of this update.  
><strong>

**PhantomBrat out...  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Two months earlier…<strong>

Yugi woke up feeling a bit better and decided to take it easy for the day. He called the school and told them that he wasn't able to come in since he wasn't feeling well. The secretary told him to rest up and that if he didn't feel better in the morning to let them know. After hanging up the phone, Yugi made himself some broth and headed to his room.

* * *

><p>Yami came home and opened the store for the afternoon rush. Joey and Tristan came over to help so that Yami could hang out with them after closing. "Say, Yami, did you happen to get the notes for math and history," Joey asked. "I missed a bit."<p>

Yami shrugged, "I took notes, and yes you can borrow them. But you need to stop falling asleep in class."

Joey nodded and took the notes from Yami.

* * *

><p>Yugi woke up from his nap and headed downstairs with his dishes. As he left the kitchen, he heard Yami, Joey, and Tristan talking. They were talking about the newest movie that they were going to go see. It was one that he had wanted to see as well, but Yugi knew that they weren't going to even notice him long enough to invite him to go along with them. He made himself another mug of linden leaf tea to take to his room for later.<p>

Yugi decided to clean the storage room after Yami closed the shop and took off with Joey and Tristan for a sleep-over. He had made dinner and Yami ate it with him, but didn't say a word. Yugi had even tried to talk to him, but got no response so he gave up.

He finished with the storage room and inventory count before moving on to the actual shop. He finished cleaning around ten-thirty. Yugi decided to call it a night.

* * *

><p>Yami watched as Joey attacked the third large pizza. They had ordered the three knowing that if he and Tristan couldn't eat them, Joey would. He shook his head, "One of these days, you're going to not want to eat."<p>

"Nope, ain't gonna ever happen," Joey replied.

Yami laughed at his friend's reply. They stayed up late playing Duel Monsters and video games.

* * *

><p>Yugi had been trying to fall asleep when a severe thunderstorm began. The thunder rattled the windows, startling the lonely teen. <em>'I really hate thunderstorms,' <em>Yugi thought to himself as he downed the remaining half of the tea that he had made earlier. He had been feeling sick again and was having trouble sleeping.

The tea took effect within half an hour, leaving the exhausted teen asleep in his bed.

* * *

><p>Ryou realized that he hadn't spoken to Yugi lately and headed over to his house to see how his fellow Hikari was doing. He was shocked to see that there was a notice on the door to the shop informing potential customers that they would be closed for the day. H used the key that Yugi had given him and entered the house.<p>

He called Yugi's name a few times and heard nothing. Ryou decided to check and see if Yugi was in his room. He found the teen lying in his bed, pale and shivering as if he were cold. Ryou immediately called Bakura and had him come over to help.

When Bakura arrived, he took one look at Yugi and started cursing about how Yami should have noticed that Yugi was sick. He bundled the boy up in the comforter and told Ryou to grab some of his things. He then left, carrying the ill Hikari with him. Ryou grabbed a school outfit and left a note saying that Yugi was with him for a day or so.

He followed Bakura to Seto's house. Once there, Bakura kicked open the door. "Mortal, take care of this for me," he demanded, handing the bundle to the confused and rather upset CEO. "If he gets worse, I'm going to make you suffer."

Seto was about to retort when he heard a moan coming from the bundle in his arms. He looked down and realized that it was Yugi. The teen handed the figure to a butler, "Take him and place him in the best possible room. I want you to call my personal doctor to look after him and inform the rest of the household staff that they are to look after my guest as if he were Mokuba or I."

It turned out that Yugi just had a case of the flu and was better by the end of the week. He thanked Seto and Mokuba for taking care of him before heading home.


	7. Chapter 7

**Present…**

The nurse and her assistant had just finished there rounds before checking on the sleeping angel one last time before they ended their shift. "So Meg, how old do you think our resident angel is?"

"Kerri, I don't really know," Meg replied. "You, yourself, should know that you can't really guess how old someone is by looks alone."

Kerri laughed at this, "I suppose you're right. I _still_ get carded when I want to enter the club on main and fifth."

A police officer entered the room, "So how's the little guy?"

"Still the same, officer," Meg replied. "Did anyone file a missing person's report that matched him yet?"

The officer shook his head, "Not yet. But I hope it's soon, because if they don't step forward, no matter how old the boy really is; he's getting sent to the Home as soon as he's well enough to be moved."

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><p><strong>Yugi: But I don't want to go to a 'Home', I want to go <em>home<em>.**

**I know, but the hospital peoples want to make sure that you're cared for and since they don't know your age and identity, that's the only option.**

**Yami: I want our lawyer present.  
><strong>

***sigh* Yami this isn't open for discussion, and besides...You're not really going to intimidate me. So put down the manual on how to intimidate people and go do something else for the next few chapters or something...Like watch Stargate and give me some decent ideas on how to improve 'To the Stars and Back Again.'**

**Bakura: How's about starting with the lame title. *Threatens me after a copy of Negima! collides with his forehead.***

**Put a sock in it. I'm trying my best...*Mumbles* loser.**

**Ryou: Please stay tuned for the next chapter. I'd better go help PhantomBrat with my yami before she decides to 'mummify' him with VHS tape.  
><strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Luiz4200: 'The Home' refers to a foster home or orphanage. Sorry 'bout the confusion there.**

**Enjoy the story...  
>PhantomBrat<br>**

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><p><strong>One and ½ months earlier…<strong>

Ryou and Bakura had started spending time with Yami and the others. But Ryou tried to keep in touch with Yugi. He even brought up the fact that they hadn't even mentioned the missing Hikari. "He's been burying himself in homework lately," Yami pointed out. "I see no reason to distract him from what he wants to do."

Ryou decided not to mention the fact that Yugi was so far ahead of the class that the teachers were asking for the assignments from the teachers in the next grade. He dropped the matter at that point.

LINE

Yugi sighed as he finished the assignment that his math teacher had scrambled to find for him. He hated the fact that he had so much free time that he was doing assignments in advance for the next grade. At least they had told him that they would hold on to them until he reached that particular class.

Yugi looked at the clock and noticed that it was after five. He slid his homework into his bag and headed downstairs to make himself a small dinner. He had taken to hiding certain food items behind things that he knew none of the others would touch. He found a prepacked lunch that he had bought in the drawer with the broccoli and lettuce. Yugi pulled it out and headed to his room to eat in silence.

Yami came home just as he had finished eating. Yugi watched him as he passed by the open door. Yami didn't even look into the room. He felt abandoned by his best friend as he closed the door to his own room. Yugi had never closed his door at night unless something was really bothering him.

He lay on his bed and closed his eyes, holding onto the Puzzle. When he reopened them, Yugi found himself in his Soul-room. He got up from the bed in there and walked over to the door. He closed that door as well and sat on the floor, looking at the toys and games that littered the area. Yugi reached for a toy and looked at it. It was a Dark Magician doll. He just sat there staring at it for a few minutes before screaming and throwing it at a pile of blocks. The blocks scattered everywhere. Yugi grabbed the next closest thing and threw it at the remaining blocks.

He collapsed against a wall in tears after his brief fit. He was hurting and nobody was around to see it.

LINE

Yami had collapsed on his bed in exhaustion. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he felt something strange. It felt like his heart hurt, like someone had broken it. He couldn't figure out why he felt this way. He got up and headed down the hall to Yugi's room.

He opened the door and saw Yugi lying on his bed. He shrugged and closed the door. Had Yami looked closer, he would have seen two things: the dried tears on Yugi's face and that Yugi was barely breathing since he was only barely there.

LINE

Yugi heard a door close and left his Soul-room and re-entered his body. He sat up and looked around the room. _'Yami must have been in here. *Why doesn't he talk to me any more?'*_

LINE

As Yami laid back down he felt another pang. _*Why doesn't he talk to me anymore?*_ Yami assumed that the thought was his own and brushed it off before falling asleep.

LINE

Yugi found that he couldn't fall asleep and decided to see if there was any more tea. He knew that his grandfather would hide the linden leaf tea if he felt that Yugi was relying on it to make himself sleep. Yugi brushed off the thought and checked the cupboard. There were enough teabags to last a month, if he drank half the mug before bed and saved the rest for later. He made a mug of tea and headed back to his room.

After drinking half, Yugi fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>I just realized something totally random...<strong>

**Bakura: Really what's that?**

**That Malfoy's dad looks like an angry old woman with his long hair.**

**Bakura: What's that got to do with this fic?**

**Yugi: That's what she meant by random. It has nothing to do with what's going on and all.**

**Yuppers...*Grins* I'd better go work on my X-overs.**

**Ryou: Which one are you going to work on?**

**I'm trying to rewrite my Stargate-Yugioh one. I wasn't too happy with it.**

**Mokuba: Until next time...  
><strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Present…**

Dr. Jonah Campbell clocked in and headed to the unknown boy's room. The comatose boy was still out, with no sign of waking. He checked his vitals and turned on the news for some light background noise. After adjusting the IV flow, he left to do his rounds.

_*In other news, Champion Duelist Yugi Motou is still considered missing. He was last seen by teachers at nearby Domino High, leaving the grounds. Should anyone have any information, we urge you to call ***-****. Yugi, if you are out there, we pray for your safety.*_

The small form lay there, oblivious to the pleadings of the reporter. No one was in the room to see the image of a young Duelist flash across the screen with important information that would hopefully help find him.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it's so short. I really couldn't think of anything else to add.<strong>

**Yugi: Perhaps you got distracted.**

**Come to think of it, Yugi, I did get caught up in an online game. Thanks for pointing that out.**

**Yugi: It was nothing. So how's that rewrite for your crossover coming along?**

**Okay, I guess. I've only got one chapter written so far. I'm working on the second chapter.**

**Ryou: I hope that 'Kura's on his best behavior this time.**

**I don't know about that.**

**Bakura: What do you mean about that, Mortal?**

**Can it with the 'mortal' bit. Find something else to say, Mummy-man.**

**Bakura: I dare you to say that again.**

**M-u-m-m-y-Man. You're so old, you must fart mummy dust. Oh wait, that was your guts. My Bad.**

**Ryou: 'Kura, calm down before you hurt something.**

**Bakura: Like PhantomBrat. She's pushed the wrong button this time.**

**Button? What button? I don't see any buttons. If I did, then I'd be pushing them; but I don't, so I can't.**

**Yugi: Until next time...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yugi: Hey Yami?**

**Yami: Yes Yugi.**

**Yugi: What's the matter with PhantomBrat?**

**Yami: She's fuming at the moment.**

**Yugi: Why? She's almost always in a good mood.**

**I got a call saying that a class I signed up for was canceled.**

**Joey: Shouldn't you be partying or something?**

**NO. I wasted three days trying to read the chapters and do the problems just to get ahead of the class BEFORE it started. Now I have to return the book and get a different one for another class that I found to replace the canceled one. UGH! I can't believe my luck!**

**Bakura: Goes to show that you can't always get ahead in life. I never went to school and look at me.**

***Glares* You're a dead guy who _used_ to be a lowlife thief who desecrated the dead and disturbed their rest. Sicko.**

**Bakura: You've got a fascination with graveyards too.**

**I prefer to merely look for the oldest tomb and I find it very educational to look at the year of death. One can tell if there was a plague or natural disaster that killed off people just by how many have passed in that specific year.**

**Bakura: See, there you have it...PhantomBrat's got issues.**

***Glares* If you're speaking of Shonen Jumps, then yes...But if you mean mentally, then prepare to face my Dark Eradicator Warlock.**

**Ryou: -_- While Bakura's _distracting _PhantomBrat, I just going to say; Enjoy...**

* * *

><p><strong>One month earlier…<strong>

Yugi walked home alone while Yami and _his_ friends left for the arcade and BurgerWorld. This left him to run the shop alone. Knowing that Yami wouldn't be home until late, Yugi made a microwave dinner for himself and the last of the linden leaf tea. _'I'm just going to have to make this last until I can find out where Grandpa buys it. I hope that he doesn't get it on his trips, otherwise I'm in trouble. I don't want to drink cough syrup or take pills to sleep.'_

Taking a fourth of the mug with him, Yugi headed to his room and closed the door for the first time.

LINE

Yami came home about eight-thirty and found no evidence of Yugi's presence. He went to check and see if he was home and found Yugi's door shut. He didn't bother to open it and see if Yugi was in. If he had, then he would have seen his Light's tear-stained face and the small cup of herbal sleep aid on his table.

LINE

Yugi woke up with yet another headache and called his school to tell them that he wasn't well and couldn't go to classes. They told him to stay home for as long as he wanted as he had completed his work for the rest of the year and part of the next year.

He called his grandpa and let him know how the shop was and that he was out from school sick. He asked the elder Motou about the tea and found out that it was purchased on the expedition trips. "I can have some shipped to you," Solomon offered his grandson. "But you need to try to fall asleep on your own for a while."

They talked for a few more minutes before Solomon told Yugi to go lie down and to leave the shop closed for the day. Yugi lay down on the couch and flipped through TV channels until sleep finally claimed him.

LINE

Yugi woke up hearing the door open. Yami and Joey walked in talking about the latest video game at the arcade. Feeling ill, Yugi headed to the bathroom and closed the door, locking it behind him.

Yami dropped his bag on the kitchen counter and left with Joey again, oblivious to his other half's discomfort.

After cleaning himself up, Yugi stumbled to his bedroom and fell into his bed. He let the darkness of sleep reclaim him.

* * *

><p><strong>Ryou: I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.<strong>

**Yugi: I'm sure they did.**

**Ryou: Where's PhantomBrat?**

**Yugi: She's either preparing to torch Bakura's weapons collection, working on an improved crossover between us and Stargate SG-1, paying Yami with Duel Monsters cards that he's never seen before to torch your yami's weapons collection, OR bribing Mokuba with candy to torch his weapons collection.**

**Bakura: *Wailing about his burning weapons collection* WHY? WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN RYOU'S PANSY MUSIC BOOKS!**

**Clean-up on Psycho Lane. I feel better now.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Yugi: Yami, do you know why PhantomBrat's got that look on her face?**

**Yami: No. Why do you have that look on your face?**

**I'm looking forward to having one of my favorite foods.**

**Yugi: What's that?**

**Chili-kraut dog. **

**Yugi and Yami: O.0**

**It's really good.**

**Ryou: What's really good?**

**A turkey dog covered with chili and sauerkraut. **

**Ryou: 0.O**

**It's not that bad.**

**Yami: Let's ask a food expert. Hey Joey!**

**Joey: Yeah**

**Yami: Go ahead and ask him.**

***Sighs* What do you think of a chili and sauerkraut covered turkey dog?**

**Joey: x.x**

**You all are just overreacting. Enjoy the fic while I educate these guys on the deliciousness of the wonders of chili-kraut turkey dogs...**

* * *

><p><strong>Present…<strong>

The nurse on call was asked to sit in on the comatose boy for the night. Dr. Campbell checked on his stats one last time before clocking out. He glanced at the bulletin board and a picture of a young boy caught his eye. He walked over to get a closer look. The picture turned out to be a missing person's flyer. But that wasn't what caught his attention. It was the image of the young boy in his care, lying in a coma without family to watch over him. He quickly dialed the number on the flyer. A stern voice answered, "Hello."

Jonah gathered up his wits before replying, "I found one of your posters. Could you come to the South Domino Memorial Hospital?"

There was hesitation, "Is he alright?"

"You need to come and make sure that it's the boy you're looking for before I can release any information," he stated.

"I'll be there first thing in the morning," the other person replied. "If he is there, then I'm calling his grandfather."

After ending the call, Jonah went to the boy's room and taped the flyer to the door, drawing a large question mark next to the name.

* * *

><p><strong>There, now was that bad?<strong>

**Joey: Not really.**

**Yugi: I still prefer hamburgers.**

**Yami: Me too.**

**Ryou: Undecided...**

**Alright.**

**Yugi: Until next time...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Yugi: What's so funny, PhantomBrat?**

***Laughing* I was at this place and was paying for some things when this lady wound up with a severe case of 'Foot-in-mouth'.**

**Yugi: It sounds serious.**

**I suppose. It was her fault for assuming that I spoke the language she was using to tell me the total.**

**Ryou: What did you do?**

***Laughing* I just went 'huh?' even though I knew what she was saying. I really hate it when people automatically assume that just because you look like you can speak another language that you can.**

**Yugi: That's like when people think that I'm a little kid when I'm actually 17.**

**I understand what you're going through. Everyone thinks that I'm in high school, but I finished seven years ago.**

**Ryou: Really?**

**Yup. I've been tempted to find a nearby high school and just wander around aimlessly outside the main building just to see what happens.**

**Yugi: You might get in trouble for that.**

**That or get dragged inside and forced to register as a student.**

**Ryou: While we're discussing the finer points of our vexations (things that annoy us), enjoy the chapter...  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>One week earlier<strong>

Yugi washed out yet another scrape. He had been beaten by the school bullies again. For some reason, the beatings were worse the day that he returned from being ill. Yugi felt that it was because he went from being the kid with no friends to having friends and then back to no friends.

His grandpa called to let them know that he'd be home in a month, barring any emergency. Yugi still hadn't told his grandfather of the current events with him. He felt that it was better that he try to handle it on his own, after all, Yami and his former friends were no longer there to help.

Yugi had considered Ryou's offer to stay with him and Bakura until things were better. Ryou had noticed that Yugi was feeling ill lately. Bakura knew that this was because Yami wasn't there to help maintain the Yami-Hikari balance. It was causing a buildup of Light energy within Yugi and he would continue to have headaches and 'off-days' as his system tried to forcefully balance itself.

Bakura felt that Yugi staying with them would help this problem out a bit. Even though Bakura wasn't Yugi's dark, just being around him would ease the pain.

Yugi packed a duffel bag and met Bakura at the front of the store. "I have enough clothes for a few days," he stated as Bakura took the bag from him.

LINE

Yami came home after being out all day and found that nobody was there. He headed to his room to finish his homework. Halfway through his last paper, the pencil broke. _'I hope that Yugi will have a pencil he can lend me.'_

Yami got up and headed to Yugi's room. When he knocked and got no response, Yami opened the door and found Yugi's bed made, but no signs of the small teen. He borrowed a pencil and left the room.

* * *

><p><strong>So, I hope that you all thoroughly enjoy this story thus far.<strong>

**Yugi: Aren't you forgetting something? Response to some reviews?**

**Oh, yeah. Thanks Yugi:**

**_OliviaGraham-I figure that I'll leave that a secret. I was asked to keep their identities a secret...At least until the next chapter or so._**

**_Luiz4200-I figured that it was time for Yugi's identity to become known to at least one person._**

**Yugi: I wanted someone to find me soon. I wonder who it is.**

**Don't you mean who 'they are'?**

**Yugi: Huh?**

**You'll see soon.**

**Ryou: Until next time...*Darts out of the room to avoid Yugi's questions about the people searching for him.***

**Hey, Yugi. I think that there's some chocolate stuffed behind the Brussels sprouts.**

**Yugi: *Leaves to look for the hidden candy.***

**As Ryou stated moments ago, until next time.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Yugi: So who's looking for me?**

**If I told you then it would ruin the suspense.**

**Yugi: Drat. Can I have one itsy-bitsy hint?**

**Sure, go back and read chapter 12. If you're a YGO addict, you can almost 'hear' the voice.**

**Yugi: So what now?**

**Jokes?**

**Yugi: Ok.**

**Two homeless guys are walking on a sidewalk one day. One of the suddenly stops and says, 'aww look at the dead birdie.' The other stops and looks up, 'Where?'**

**Yugi: I don't get it.**

**Ok...**

**Joey: Tell a dirty joke.**

***Grins* A little boy falls in a mud-puddle. Clean joke; he took a bath.**

**Joey: x.x**

**Joey, stop over-exaggerating. Geeze, you're worse than a little kid that just found out that Santa and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are not real and that it was their parents all along.**

**Yugi: Enjoy the chapter.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Present…<strong>

Dr. Campbell waited by the ICU wing's main doors. He was concerned about the person that was coming to determine the identity of the boy in his wing. Three teens came down the hallway. Two had white hair and the third had brown. They held up the flyer and a bag. Jonah opened the door and ushered them inside.

"I am Dr. Jonah Campbell," he stated as he led them down the hall.

The taller white-haired teen spoke up, "So you believe you found the little guy?"

"The police found a young boy lying in an alley, beaten so badly that we had to fight to keep him alive. He's just in here," he pointed out as he stepped into the room.

The brown-haired teen looked over the sleeping boy, "This boy is definitely Yugi Motou."

"So what are we going to do, Seto," the smaller of the white-haired boys asked.

The taller of the pair looked at the smaller, "We certainly aren't going to let him go home until his grandfather can be reached. Yami doesn't even know that Yugi's missing, Ryou."

"Bakura's right," Seto pointed out. "In his condition, we'll be lucky if he even wakes up and remembers who he is." He turned to the doctor, "I am appointing myself as the temporary guardian of Yugi Motou and will want every record you have from the time he came here until the time he leaves."

Jonah nodded, knowing that he couldn't refuse this as Seto Kaiba was one of the major supporters and a partial owner of the hospital. "I'll write this in his file."

The three teens left and Jonah checked Yugi's vitals before paging a nurse to change his bandages.

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: Yea, someone finally found me!<strong>

**Too bad that it had to be your self-proclaimed rival and the incompetent kleptomaniac.**

**Ryou: At least I was there.**

**Yeah, who knows if Bakura would rip off Seto's three-hundred dollar Rolex while they were in the same room.**

**Yugi: Until next time.**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm so excited...almost twice as many reviews than there are chapters!**

**Yugi: Reviewer Responses;**

**_OliviaGraham-You'll see what Yami was up to during the time I was 'missing'_._ Just wait a few more chapters please_.**

**_Luiz4200-I'm not sure if there's going to be any Dueling as PhantomBrat's been listening to various songs on her playlist and just typing what comes to her. I do know that I put up a pretty good fight later in the story. Unfortunately, I am not able to say when. I'm under a nondisclosure agreement._**

**Thanks for reviewing!**

**Bakura: How dare you assume that I'd just go after the Rolex! I'd rip off his trench-coat and sell it on E-bay. I could care less about those pathetic Dragons. That's Marik's department. He's the one who steals rare cards for himself.**

**Marik: HEY! I am a reformed citizen of modern society.**

**Bakura: So if I were to tell you that Phantom Brat has some seriously rare cards, you wouldn't try to rip them off?**

**Marik: ... ...Nope... ...  
><strong>

**Thank you Yugi. Bakura, Marik, if you two EVER come near my cards, I'll make you regret it. By the way, the Title of this was sheer accident. It was meant to ****be a temporary one, but you'll see why it fits in just a few chapters or so.**

**Ryou: I do hope that it's nothing serious.**

**I can't say without giving away the plot.**

**Yugi: Enjoy the chapter...**

* * *

><p><strong>Three days ago…<strong>

Yami had gone with the others to some amusement park with their class, leaving Yugi to tend to the store. Yugi had found that he was running low on food and decided to go grocery shopping. Realizing that he forgot his wallet and money, he turned around and headed home. He hadn't gotten far when one of the school's worst bully's found him. He found Yugi to be the perfect target for letting his anger out on. Yugi ran not knowing that the alley that he ran into was part of his territory and that the brute's friends were there waiting to attack. They hit him with anything, from their fists to old boards and a metal pipe, until he was unconscious. After they got bored, they left the small teen there.

It was almost nightfall when a passerby saw his limp form lying there and called 911. The police and paramedics arrived and loaded the boy into the ambulance. The police were concerned that the teen had probably been more than beaten and told the paramedics to have him checked at the hospital. They were later relieved to find out that the boy had only been beaten. This left them to wonder who would injure a child in such a manner.

Jonah Campbell had been the doctor on call the night Yugi had come in and taken into surgery. He had seen the small boy and was determined to save his life and find out who he was.

After the surgery, Jonah had found that the boy had fallen into a coma and had to be hooked up to a life-support system. It was not known whether the young male would survive such trauma.

* * *

><p><strong>Yami: Why would Yugi leave his wallet at home when he left?<strong>

**Because he was depressed at being left alone whilst you and the others went to an amusement park to have fun.**

**Yami: I should banish you to the Shadow Realm for that.**

**You do and this whole thing will collect cyber-dust in virtual limbo for all eternity. You'll never find Yugi, and he'll suffer in a permanent nightmare. So want to send me there now?**

**Yami: -_- You win. I'll go and mope in the attic.**

**Better yet, could you give me a hand on my reading assignment for class?**

**Yami: But that hasn't started yet!**

**I know, I just want to get a head start.**

**Yami: Until next time...**


	15. Chapter 15

_**Yugi: Since everyone's likely wanting to know what Yami's been up to here's his insert.**_

_**Thank you,DarkChao1963 for the pointers. I'm hereby replacing chapter 15 in part.**_

_**Seto: No you're not. You're just adding to it.**_

_**Awww, go and count your money or something grumpy-pants. Seto's right, I AM just adding to the chapter. For those of you that reviewed before I did this, I'm sorry. I'll PM you with a special codeword so that I know that you're not totally anonymous reviewers.  
><strong>_

_**Yugi: Anyways, here's what Yami's been going through…**_

* * *

><p><strong>Three months earlier…<strong>

Yami had asked Yugi if he had planned to go on the fieldtrip with the class. "Grandpa asked that someone look after the store while he was gone," Yugi replied.

"So I go and you watch the store," Yami stated.

He didn't notice Yugi's sadness. Yugi had hoped that Yami would spend some time with him since they were now brothers. Before Yugi could say anything, Yami spotted the others, "Hey guys, I'm going to go on the trip!"

Yugi sighed as Yami headed over to the group, 'At least one of us is having fun.'

Two weeks later, Yami had gone on the fieldtrip to the amusement park and left Yugi to tend to the store. Little did he know that that morning would be the last time he'd see his hikari for a long time.

When he had gotten home that night, the store was closed and there were no lights on, including the porch light. Yami unlocked the backdoor and spotted Yugi's wallet lying on the counter where he normally places it before leaving the house. Yami looked all over the house and saw no trace of the small teen. He assumed that Yugi had stepped out for a bit.

When Yugi didn't show for breakfast the next morning and then classes, Yami started to worry. He checked in with the school nurse and found that there were no calls saying that Yugi was sick for that day. "Your brother really should see a doctor about those headaches and the fevers that he's been getting on a near-regular basis," she had told Yami.

Yami nodded, "I'll make sure he does." 'If I can find him,' he added mentally.

* * *

><p><strong>Present…<strong>

Yami had been to all the places that Yugi would have been, but was still unable to find his hikari. He hadn't seen much of Yugi before he just disappeared over three months ago. Yami just assumed that Yugi may have found some new friends and was hanging out with them. After two months of his absence, Tea thought that Yugi had been pulling the wool over their eyes and pretending to be innocent. She didn't say much after this, just helped search in silence.

He had called the local hospitals and was unable to find him. Everyone was checking the shelters and homes, but nothing of Yugi had turned up. He had tried to ask Kaiba for help, but was turned down. "If you had been there everyday, then he'd still be home and not missing," he had told Yami coldly. "He could have left to go and visit a sick friend or family member and you could have not heard him saying something as you rushed off with the idiot squad. Now stop wasting my time."

This happened nearly a month and a half ago. There was no word from Yugi or anyone knowing where he was. 'Grandpa's going to be upset about this when he finds out,' Yami thought to himself.

Solomon had called two months ago, saying that he was going to stay longer due to the last minute notice of a trading card convention. Yami wished him well and said that he had to go, trying to avoid telling him that Yugi was missing right away.

Right now, Yami was sitting in the emergency room waiting for Joey to get out. Apparently, he had gotten in a fight with some of Yugi's former bullies. He said that they showed up asking where their favorite punching-bag was hiding. Joey didn't like what they said and punched the one closest to him. He had taken a few hits to the stomach and ribs.

Tea had insisted that they take Joey to get checked out. She and Tristan had to get home for dinner, leaving him to wait for their short-tempered friend.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Now that we're caught up to the present, the chapters might be longer, might be shorter…Who knows? It's just the way I feel and how the flow goes. For anyone that's confused: Yugi's been ignored and abandoned by his Yami and former friends, attacked by a gang of brutes and left for dead. Now he's in a coma and Seto's his guardian.<strong>_

_**Yugi: So when does Yami find out about me?**_

_**Don't know yet…Just depends on where this story goes.**_

_**Bakura *muttering*: Stupid Pharaoh. Can't even protect his Light from harm…doesn't even realize that Yugi is dying…**_

_**Yugi: WHAT! Why am I dying?**_

_**I can't really say right now…but all will be made clear in due time. BAKURA GET BACK HERE AND APOLOGIZE FOR SCARING YUGI!**_

_**Yugi: While PhantomBrat is attacking Bakura with multiple Kuribohs and other random fluffy monsters, I'll just say this: Check out the poll for her other story: **__**"Hunted"**__**. It's to decide whether it should end and be continued as a sequel; or be continued as one awesome, multi-chapter fic.**_

_**Joey: WOW! She just siced four Red-Eyes and five Dark Magicians after Bakura!**_

_**Yami: Really? I thought that you're only allowed three of each card.**_

_**I have back-ups. Besides, they're some of my favorite monsters.**_

_**Seto: As long as you don't have Blue-Eyes, I'm pleased.**_

_***Summons four Blue-Eyes, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and Dragon Master Knight* How's 'bout now? Oh, wait. I almost forgot; your worst nightmare: Exodia.**_

_**Seto: You're really starting to annoy me.**_

_**Nope, if I wanted to annoy you, I'd paint your nails pink, streak your hair blue, and place whoopee-cushions in your furniture. All while you're sleeping. Plus, I'd filter nothing but Brock's voice from Pokémon throughout your office. You know the bits where he's after the girls? Of course, that would make your employees question your sanity. Now can we just end this little impromptu conference and get back to the fic?**_

_**Yugi: I want to know what's going to happen and why Yami isn't there for me.**_

_**Yami: Why does everyone always target my hikari?**_

_**Because you freak out about it every single time…I know…you've had this conversation numerous times with other authors.**_


	16. Chapter 16

Seto had checked up on Yugi's status almost daily at the insistence of his brother. The Younger Kaiba had become friends with Yugi and Seto didn't want to upset his little brother. "I'm sorry to say this," Jonah's assistant, a Dr. Brent Calhoun started. "But your little friend is still not showing any signs of waking. According to his charts, he's undergone tremendous trauma and is still trying to survive the outcome of his attack."

Seto glared at the young doctor, "What are you implying?"

"It may be best to let him go. This keeping him tethered to life by a thread is doing more harm than good," he replied, pushing his glasses up. "Your charge has been suffering for nearly two full months. Surely you can show him some mercy and let him go." Calhoun had only been at this hospital for a few weeks after finishing up his degree in pediatrics. He had seen children whose parents refused to let them go after severe life-threatening injuries. The poor things had lingered for about a few weeks and just gave up.

Seto growled and shoved the black-haired doctor against a wall, "I have every right to have you thrown out of here. Don't you dare give up on Yugi, that is, unless you want to be the one blamed for the death of the 'King of Games'. Whether he lives or dies will affect the outcome of your career."

Jonah had been watching the scene, "Forgive my colleague, Mr. Kaiba. He's just out of medical school, though he's been in the profession for about six years. Brent, I want you to go and check on little Suzie and then take your break." After Brent left, he turned to Seto, "I am going to keep Brent away from Yugi Motou from now on. He's against keeping people on life-support when there's little that can be done."

"If he steps out of line, I want him removed from the ICU until Yugi's gone," Seto warned him. "What is Yugi's progress?"

"His injuries are healing well, with no signs of infection; though his concussion still has me worried. I ran some tests and he may not only have amnesia, but the beating may have left him blind. But I can't tell for sure until he wakes," Dr. Campbell stated, handing copies of the latest results over to Seto. "I haven't seen any sign of him coming around."

They had just reached Yugi's room when they heard voices. "Young man, you aren't allowed in here. I suggest you find your parents and go home. A hospital isn't a playground."

"My big brother funds this hospital and that pays your wages. Yugi is my friend and I have the right to see him whenever I want."

Seto stepped into the room, "What's going on, Mokuba?"

"This nurse is trying to have me removed from here and won't let me sit with Yugi," the younger Kaiba replied.

The nurse, having seen that Mokuba wasn't lying, backed up, "I'm sorry sir. I didn't know that the kid was telling the truth." She left the room quickly.

LINE

Seto had a list made up of visitors that were allowed to see Yugi. It included the Ishtars, Ryou and Bakura, and himself and Mokuba. He had stated that this list was to be adhered to pending the return of Yugi's grandfather. Mokuba was a regular visitor, checking on the comatose Duelist. Seto had the media drop the search and then kept the Duelist's condition and location secret, as Ryou had requested.

Mokuba had been sitting in Yugi's room, doing his homework, when he thought he saw movement. He stopped his studies and watched the young gamer. As he was about to pick up his pencil, Yugi's hand moved. Mokuba stood up ignoring his books as they fell from his lap and ran for the door. "Seto, I think Yugi's waking up," he cried.

Seto and Dr. Campbell stopped talking and dashed into the room. Jonah looked at the young teen, "If you can here me, I want you to move your hand."

After a minute, Yugi's fingers twitched. Jonah Campbell breathed a sigh of relief, "This is a good sign. He's out of the coma and is ready to wake up. I'm going to call downstairs and have a specialist come up immediately to determine whether he still needs the breathing tube. If he doesn't, then it'll be removed. After that, we'll need to run some tests to be sure of the full extent of the damage."

Seto nodded as he pulled out his phone to call Ryou and Bakura. "He's out of the coma, but he's still unconscious."

Within minutes, both teens were in the room. "Thank you for calling us," Ryou said as they entered. "That's the best news we've had in the three months he's been here."

"Yeah," Bakura added. "Besides the Pharaoh and his friends still haven't noticed that Yugi's missing. They're still talking about what they're going to do after Yami closes the shop for the evening. He thinks that Yugi's spending time with some new friends that they don't know about. That friendship-speech-giving pest believes that Yugi's been putting on an innocent act all along since he's 'nowhere to be seen'." He growled, "If anyone of them sets foot in this room while Yugi's here, I'll give them a reason for coming to the hospital."

"They're not on the list of people to visit," Seto pointed out. "I also informed the staff not to let on that he's here until his grandfather returns from wherever he is."

* * *

><p><strong>So, Yugi's out of the coma. I wonder what'll happen next.<strong>

**Bakura: You should know, you're the author.**

**Ryou: Easy Bakura. PhantomBrat's in a fairly good mood right now.**

**Yugi: So when does Yami find out about me?**

**Not sure yet…I'm just going with the flow.**

**Mokuba: Will Yugi get to live with us?**

**Seto: I highly doubt it. I don't do charity. And don't you dare give me the 'Triple P's.**

**Bakura: What do you mean by that?**

***Slightly creepy evil smirk*…Triple P's stands for 'the Pitiful Puppy Phace'. It works nearly every time it's used.**

**Bakura: So that's why Ryou gives me the puppy-eyes when I have chocolate and won't share. BACK OFF! MY CHOCOLATE!**

**Ryou: *Triple P's of Doom* **

**Joey: Give me some!**

**Yami: While PhantomBrat is attacking Bakura with exploding Kuriboh to get his chocolate and Yugi and the others are following after since she promised to share her spoils, I'll just say this…Until next time. HEY PHANTOMBRAT, PULL THE ROPE AND TRIP HIM! I WANT SOME OF THAT CHOCOLATE TOO!**


	17. Chapter 17

**So while Bakura recovers from his Chocolate Deprivation, I'm just going to say that wrestling chocolate from him is like trying to pry a superglued quarter from the sidewalk.**

**Malik: Have you ever tried that?**

**Personally, no, but I've seen people trying on TV. I do so love pranks though.**

**Marik: What have you done before?**

**Whoopee cushions, Kool-aide without sugar, plastic spider and Reese's Pieces, playing 'dead' just to name a few that worked (mostly).**

**Malik: Which ones failed?**

**The whoopee cushion, my little brother blew it up. (T T) My sister thought she'd be funny and tape the flap shut. I was just like 'Kura is right now.**

**Yugi: While PhantomBrat is recovering from that memory, I just wanted to say that she's sorry that this is a little late. She just started classes and can't even find time to hang with her friends to Duel.**

**Mokuba: She's also working on several chapters on this and other stories. She's also suffering from a mild case of writer's block...**

**MOKUBA! I AM NOT SUFFERING FROM WRITER'S BLOCK. I just have too many ideas floating around in my head and just need to fish out the right ones for the right story. Plus the rewrite for the Stargate X-Over is driving me crazy.**

**Noah: Why aren't I mentioned in here?**

**Well you just slipped in, so why not say something?**

**Noah: Enjoy the story. By the way, I read over this and there's no disclaimer. **

**Then go ahead and add it. Geeze. **

**So here it is: While PhantomBrat does own some YuGiOh cards and DVDs, she does NOT own YuGiOh.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>After Yugi was returned to his room following the tests, Dr. Campbell called Seto with the results. "He's able to breathe on his own, but still needs oxygen as his breaths are a bit shallow. I'm afraid that he'll need a lot of therapy to learn how to walk again. There are still signs of healing in his brain, so don't be surprised if he has memory problems or temporary periods of blindness. It's rare, but known to happen."<p>

"Thanks for the update," Seto replied.

Jonah had one more thing on his mind, "Will you be able to take him into your home once he is discharged?"

"I don't do charity," Seto answered. "I only did what I did to keep him alive. Otherwise his grandfather would be angered that he died without someone there to fight for his sake."

"I understand. It looks like we'll have to place him in foster care until his grandfather returns. I'll start looking for families in the area," Jonah stated.

He heard a growl, "Don't you dare leave him to the system, Seto. Yugi might be forgotten and hurt there. If you let them do that to him, I won't ever forgive you."

Seto sighed, "Fine. I'll take him in, but I don't want this to get out."

"Anyone or anything connected to Yugi's stay here will be so confidential that any doctor that looks at the records will only see the detail of his injuries, nothing more," Jonah stated, knowing that he would be the one to make sure that this was done properly. After the call ended, he went to check on his patient.

He was surprised to see the young teen's eyes partially open as he walked in. He sat where the boy was able to see him, "Do you know your name, young man?"

He looked confused and tried to say something, but couldn't. Jonah tried a different approach, "Blink once if you know your name, twice if you don't."

Jonah's response from Yugi was two blinks. "Do you remember anything?" Again, he received two blinks.

He wrote the word 'amnesia' in Yugi's medical charts. "Are you hungry?" One blink. "I'll send an aide in with some broth and to help you." One more blink. Jonah nodded and left the room.

* * *

><p>"I want you to be patient with him," Jonah Campbell reminded the four. "He doesn't seem to remember anything and can't speak. It's possible that the tube that was used to aid his breathing caused some damage. But it should clear up in about a week."<p>

Mokuba looked at the other three, "Do you think that we should call Yugi by a different name if you don't want it to get out that he's been in the hospital with amnesia and stuff?"

"That's a great idea," Ryou said. "But what do you think we should call him?"

"Heba. If we are to give him a false last name, it should be Amonra*," Bakura stated. "It means hidden light. I felt that it should be fitting as we are hiding the Pharaoh's Light from him and the rest of the world.

Seto nodded, "It'll have to do until he remembers who he is."

"We could say that he's our cousin that's visiting from Egypt and that he's been in an accident that made him forget his past," Mokuba suggested. "Though we would have to do something about his hair. It would be a dead-giveaway to anyone that knows Yugi."

"His hair has grown a bit. I think that we should leave it that long and maybe use clip-in extensions or have him wear a bandana when he's in public," Ryou added.

They all agreed that this was a good idea and headed into the room to visit with Yugi/Heba.

* * *

><p><strong><em>*Amonra altered from Amon-Ra—Egyptian for 'Hidden Light'<em>**

* * *

><p><strong>Yami: That's not fair making Yugi loose his voice! I demand a rewrite!<strong>

**Seto: As do I. There is NO way that I am related to Yugi.**

**Might I point out that your past life was related to Yami? Besides, you are hiding him for the time being.**

**Yami: Yugi is supposed to be my brother so he should be brought home.**

**Yami, look up. ^**

**Yami *Looks up and sees the bold italics* You're evil.**

**Nope. I'm just pointing out the obvious. You're Egyptian and the name I picked for Yugi's temporary name is Egyptian. You can be so oblivious at times.**

**Yami: Again I say, 'You're evil'.**

**Yugi: Yami be nice to PhantomBrat. Besides, it's just a story and I'm perfectly safe.**

**Marik and Noah: *singsong voice* I just hacked into her files and I know what's gonna happen. I'm not gonna tell ya 'cause you're being mean and rotten.**

**Mokuba: *facepalm* I'd better drag Noah away and tell Seto that he stole some of the chocolate that PhantomBrat stole from Bakura. Until next time...  
><strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**Yugi: Thanks for the reviews. Ryou, um, do you want the honors of replying?**

**Ryou: I'm not sure.**

**Okay.**

**Seto: I'll do one.**

_**Youngbountygirl-In order, I highly doubt that I'll let him in my home. We changed Yugi's name to protect him and myself from the media, I prefer to avoid being mentioned in the tabloids for being helpful. If that happened, I'd have hobos at my doorstep asking for handouts.**_

**Mokuba: Be nice, big brother. You're going to scare away the nice reviewers.**

**What are you looking for Yugi?**

**Yugi: Painkillers. I think that the headache from earlier is back.**

**Yami: Perhaps it's because PhantomBrat thought that a concussion was funny.**

***Glares at Yami* I did NOT think that some random punks beating Yugi senseless was funny. Besides, it was Kura's idea. Tha amnesia was a result of his concussion and being away from you for so long.**

**Yami: What are you insinuating? **

**Yugi: And that answers part of Luiz4200's review. **

**Thank you for pointing that out Yugi.**

_**Luiz4200-As to whether I had to go that far, I felt that it would keep Yugi from seriously hurting himself if he saw the others or felt so bad that he wanted to die.**_

**Yami: *Growls at me* **

**Yugi: Yami just relax. Things might turn out better in a few chapters.**

**Tea: Thank you for being loyal reviewers Redglowingheart, and OliviaGraham.**

**Rebecca: Thank you for your first review of this story, Doragon-chan.**

**I hope you enjoy it as much as you do '****Hunted****'.**

**Serenity: And for our newest reviewer, Sammiieeoo.**

**Malik: Enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

><p>Ryou looked over at Heba and noticed something different about his eyes. Instead of their normally bright amethyst, they were a dull reddish color. He had a doctor look at him. "It should clear up in a few months," she said as she clicked the penlight off. "Sometimes a blood vessel bursts, staining the iris with a red tint. I'll prescribe some eye drops to stave off any other problems."<p>

Ryou nodded as she left. Heba just sat there, staring at a puzzle with little interest. "Do you feel tired already, Heba," he asked. Two blinks. "Just bored huh?" One blink. "Do you want to play a game?" Two more blinks. "I guess not. How about a movie?" One more. "Any particular title?" Two more blinks.

Giving up on his quest to get Heba to speak, Ryou turned the channel and decided upon RV. Heba pushed the tray and the forgotten puzzle away and lay back in his bed to watch the movie. "Heba, I'm going to go and call Seto to let him know how you're doing," Ryou said as he stood up to leave. "I should be back in five to ten minutes." He waited for Heba's response before leaving.

* * *

><p>Ryou stepped outside the main lobby and dialed Kaiba's cell phone. "Heba's still not speaking. Yes, I had a doctor check his eyes and she said that the reddish tint is from damaged blood vessels in his eyes. He's got therapy this afternoon. I asked that they wait until you were there for it to make sure that they were going to force him."<p>

After he got off the cell, he turned to go back inside and almost ran into Yami. "Oh, hello there Yami," he greeted.

Yami nodded curtly, "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just here visiting a sick cousin of Seto's," Ryou replied. "He used to be a neighbor of mine and an almost brother. When Seto called and said that he was here, I had to come and see how he was doing. I'd better get going."

Yami was shocked at the news of Seto having a cousin. "Might I join you in your visit?"

Ryou shook his head, "I'm sorry, but if there were any other visitors besides myself, the Kaibas, and Kura, he might be overwhelmed. Maybe later?"

"By the way, have you seen Yugi around lately," Yami questioned.

Ryou shook his head, "He hasn't been around lately. He might have gone out of the city for a while. I just hope that he comes back soon."

"Me too," Yami replied. "I feel really bad that I didn't know he was gone until days after."

After Yami left, Ryou went back to the room. "Heba, are you hungry," he asked the small teen.

Heba looked at him and blinked once. "Anything in mind?" He was answered with one blink. Ryou pulled out the picture menu and let him chose. Like any other meal, soup was chosen. Ryou sighed as he put the menu away and checked the choice on the sheet. _'At least the kitchen's making sure that there's a different soup for him.'_

* * *

><p>Seto showed up shortly after the meal was over. "Has he been fed yet," he asked upon entering the room.<p>

Ryou nodded and lowered his voice, "Heba's just finished his lunch a few minutes ago. He seems to want only soups. I hope that this changes soon." Just then something caught his attention.

Heba was trying to get the picture menu back out of the tray and having a hard time. Ryou turned to help him. "Is there something you want?" Heba answered with one blink and pointed to vanilla pudding. "I'll page an aide to get you some," he told his friend. "Seto, could you follow me please?"

Once they were out in the hall, Seto questioned Ryou's reaction, "What was that all about?"

"For one thing, Yugi doesn't like eating soups and prefers hamburgers," Ryou said. "Plus he never eats vanilla pudding. He's all the time eating chocolate pudding at school."

"This should all clear up when he remembers a bit about himself," Seto pointed out.

"What if that never happens," Ryou hissed. "His grandfather's going to be coming home to a grandson with no memory and that needs constant attention!"

* * *

><p>Heba's POV<p>

'_What's going on? Why is, Ryou was it, so upset over what I asked for? I wish my throat didn't hurt so badly. It feels like someone shoved a stick into it. And who is this 'Yugi' that they keep talking about just outside the door?_

_I hate it here. I can't stand the tests and the therapy. They all hurt. Even the questions hurt. __**'Do you know your name? How old are you? Can you say something?'**__ Why can't they just leave me alone? Can't they see that I'm suffering?_

_Ryou got me another puzzle, but I don't want to do a puzzle. I just want to be alone. The one called Seto gave me a pile of cards just a moment ago. They had images of monsters and stuff. I didn't want them. He tried to get me interested in them and didn't get the point._

_Can't think clearly…Head hurts…'_

* * *

><p>"You didn't have to throw the cards," Seto growled as he picked them up. He was answered with a book being thrown in his direction. He glared at Heba, who in turn glared back.<p>

Ryou tried to calm Heba down, "Seto's just trying to be nice, Heba. Please give him a chance. He stopped when he noticed that Heba pointed to a few letters. **'****n-o-w-a-n-t-g-a-m-e-s. w-a-n-t…I-h-u-r-t-c-a-n-t…'**

He noticed that Heba was crying silently and felt bad. "It'll be alright," he whispered, trying to soothe the teen's pain-filled tears.

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: I finally got to have a small bit.<strong>

**Yeah, sorry that you're not yourself. I figured that with the amnesia, you'd be a bit off.**

**Yugi: It's ok. I just hope that Dark Magician wasn't in that deck.**

**Nah, just some throwback cards that Kaiba rarely used.**

**Ryou: You really should apologize to him for that.**

**I suppose so. Perhaps I'll give him a hug or something later. I'll just picture Brock from Pokémon and get it over with.**

**Joey: Why do that?**

**Because he sounds just like him. Plus Brock's a total opposite from Seto.**

**Ryou: By the way, Yugi, your contacts are really creeping me out.**

**Yugi: I know. Why'd you have me with the red-tinted eyes, PhantomBrat?**

**Because in nearly every story or fanfic, Yami's the one with red, or crimson, eyes. I figured that this time you would get a shot. Sorry if the colored contacts are uncomfortable for you.**

**Yugi: It's alright. Yami's a bit creeped out by them too. I guess it's fair because when he gets the crimson-colored eyes, it scares me.**

**Ryou: Until next time…**


	19. Chapter 19

**Ryou: Reviewer Response time. _For OliviaGraham:  
>I felt terrible about lying to Yami. But he's not currently allowed to see Yugi. Sorry about that.<em>**

**Yugi: _For Doragon-Chan:  
>A small hug always helps things. Thanks for the thought.<em>**

**Mokuba: _For our other reviewers; Luiz4200, Redglowingheart, Sammeeiioo, ang Youngbountygirl: Thanks for being loyal readers._**

**Noah: _And for our newest member of the reviewing crew; Lady-Alexas:  
>Here's the newest installment.<br>_**

* * *

><p><strong>One month later…<strong>

"Now Heba, I want you to take it easy," Dr. Campbell told his patient. "That means you listen to Seto and his friends."

Heba blinked once and used his speller-board, **'****W-i-l-l…P-r-o-m-i-s-e****.'**

"Give these to him if there's any problem," he told Seto as he slipped him a bottle of pills and a few syringes. "They are to calm him down or help him sleep. It's a temporary measure but it should help until he remembers his past. Good luck."

Seto nodded as he pocketed the items, "Thank you Doctor. Heba, let's go. I need to get back to the office and you need to get home."

Heba nodded and allowed the nurse to guide him to the limo. "Buckle up," Seto stated as he got in.

* * *

><p>Heba wandered through the mansion, trying to memorize the area. He had just passed the family room when the phone rang, scaring him. He went and picked it up.<p>

"Seto? Are you there? It's me, Yami. I wanted to know if you would reconsider helping me find Yugi."

Heba pulled the phone away from his ear. "Hello? I know that you're there, NOW ANSWER ME, PLEASE! Listen, Grandpa's coming home in three weeks and if Yugi's not back, I'm in serious trouble. Please…." Heba hung up the phone. Not one minute after he hung up, it rang again. Heba decided to leave it alone and continue looking around before heading back to his room. He really didn't want to deal with the angry, pleading voice again.

Heba found the kitchen and realized that he was hungry. He went over to a cook and used his letter-board to ask for some soup. She had been told beforehand by Seto that the boy had a preference for soup and to have a variety prepared. She had prepared a selection that ensured that he had a balanced diet. The cook, Marianne Parkerson, acknowledged the boy's request and called Matthew Peterson, a fellow staff-member, over. "Please take Heba into the dining-room and get him settled before someone delivers his meal."

Matthew nodded, "Right this way, Heba."

Heba followed him into the dining area. Dull reddish eyes stared at Matthew as he pulled a chair out. "Please sit," he stated, feeling uncomfortable from the boy's stare. Heba nodded and sat in the chair.

* * *

><p>"I'm home," Mokuba called, entering the mansion. He spotted Heba sitting on a couch with his eyes closed. "Hey, Heba. How was your day?"<p>

Heba opened his eyes and pointed to his letter-board, **'B-O-R-E-D…N-O-T-H-I-N-G-T-O-D-O.'**

"Do you want to play a game or something," he offered.

'**N-O-G-A-M-E…N-O-W-A-N-T-P-U-Z-Z-L-E…H-U-R-T.'**

Mokuba was concerned, "Where does it hurt, Heba?"

'**B-U-R-N…I-N-S-I-D-E…H-E-A-R-T-H-E-A-D-H-U-R-T-S.**

"Let me call Ryou and Bakura, ok," Mokuba said.

'**C-A-N-H-E-L-P.'**

Mokuba nodded, "Yes. Bakura's told me to call him if you feel this way."

'**P-L-E-A-S-E-C-A-L-L…N-O-T-A-N-G-R-Y-V-O-I-C-E-P-E-R-S-O-N…I-N-O-L-I-K-E…M-A-D-E-M-E-F-E-E-L-B-A-D…'**

Mokuba dialed Ryou's cell phone, "Can you guys come over? Heba's got those signs that you told us to watch for. Yeah, he said that it felt like he's burning on the inside and that it's hurting his head and his heart." He motioned for Heba to stay while he walked out of hearing range. He continued, "Plus I think that Yami's called here. Heba must have picked up because he said that he person had an angry voice and made him feel bad. I think we're going to have to contact his grandfather and tell him what's going on. If he's let in on the whole thing, then we won't get charged with kidnapping and he'd know where his grandson's at. Yeah, I do plan to tell Seto. I'll see you in five minutes then. Bye."

Five minutes later, Ryou and Bakura were leading Heba to his room. He felt a bit better when they showed up, but neither wanted to take any chances. Bakura felt uneasy as Heba's dull red-tinted eyes stared at him before closing into a dreamless sleep.

When they headed downstairs, he lost it, "That's NOT Yugi. It's like he's just a soulless vessel, just putting on a façade of life. His eyes are dead, he has no memory. The runt's just not himself. It's as if he's just barely there. I can't keep playing his Dark just to keep him from burning out. I can handle Ryou, but Yugi's Light is just too much for me to handle. We should have let him go back at the hospital."

"Surely you don't mean that," Mokuba protested. "My brother's doing this to make amends for nearly killing his grandfather over a card."

"I do, Mokuba, I do," Bakura stated. "That thing lying upstairs isn't Yugi, not anymore. It doesn't act like the runt we knew. For Ra's sake, it's eyes don't have that carefree, soulful look. It doesn't speak, smile, or show any emotions at all. The person you knew is DEAD for all we know."

Ryou placed his hand on his yami's shoulder, "Calm down, Kura. We just have to give him time. Perhaps he's just dealing with the issue that he's lost what made him, him."

* * *

><p>Heba woke up and made his way down the stairs, dragging his letter-board behind him. He spotted Ryou. While walking towards him, he tripped and just lay there as Ryou and Mokuba ran to make sure that he was ok. Heba allowed himself to be sat up. "There's no sign of any cuts or bruising," Ryou said as he and Mokuba helped him up.<p>

Just as they got him to the couch, the doorbell rang, startling Heba. Mokuba answered it. Yami came in, "Where's Seto? I wanted to apologize for the way I've been lately and to ask for his help."

Mokuba led him into the dining-room, "Wait here until Seto comes in."

Yami sat down as Mokuba left to get his brother. He heard a crash coming from the living room.

"Heba, calm down," a familiar voice called out. "Kura help me. He just started throwing things. Matthew, go and get Seto. Tell him that Heba's having a fit and we need his help."

Yami felt that he had to help, so he got up and went to the living room. He saw Ryou and Bakura trying to keep a struggling form down. "Calm down," he heard Bakura saying. "Where is that rich-boy with the kit?"

"It looks like you need some help," Yami pointed out as a sock-covered foot got free and started to push against Bakura's arm, trying to get him to let go.

"Go away, Pharaoh," Bakura growled as he lost his grip on the other foot.

"What happened and why is he in here," Seto demanded as he and Mokuba entered the room. "Nevermind, just move over and pull his sleeve up."

Yami watched as Seto injected something into the arm of whomever it was that was fighting. It then hit him that the person wasn't screaming or making any sounds the entire time. As the shot started taking effect, Ryou and Bakura stepped back.

A small hand made a motion and someone moved a board over to it. **'H-A-T-E-A-L-L…N-O-P-L-A-Y-N-I-C-E…G-O-W-A-Y.'** After the last letter was pointed to, the hand went limp.

Yami took the opportunity to see who it was. As he caught sight of the person, he noticed that it had tri-colored hair, though it looked like it hadn't been cut in a while. The kid was wearing a teal colored, oversized t-shirt and black sweatpants. The boy looked like Yugi. Before he could call Yugi's name, he saw the dull red-tinted eyes searching the room and landing on him before his heart fell again. This couldn't be Yugi after all. Besides, the Yugi he knew wouldn't say, or write, things like that. He missed the weak motion that the small boy made as he turned to leave.

* * *

><p>Heba's POV<p>

'_Who's at door? Why Bakura and Ryou not let me see? Something feels wrong, but good at same time. I hear voices. I want see too. Let me go. I grab a thing and threw it because Bakura is keeping me on couch. He and Ryou are holding down and calling to another to get Seto._

_That strange feeling grew stronger. Hear another voice. Want to see who it is. Sounds familiar, different. Let me go. I got one foot free. Bakura won't let go. Let me go. Want to see voice. Hear Seto, feel sharp thing in shoulder. Want letters. __**'H-A-T-E-A-L-L. N-O-P-L-A-Y-N-I-C-E. G-O-W-A-Y.'**__ Feel weak, tired. Finally see voice. Looks…sad, hurt. Want him. Come back…begging. *So tired.*'_

* * *

><p>Yami left the house, feeling lost. That boy looked almost like Yugi, but something was off. <em>*So tired.*<em> Yami heard a faint voice and knew that it was Yugi. But where was he?

He thought back to the boy in Seto's house. He did have the same hair colors as Yugi, but it was longer. This boy was a bit violent, whereas Yugi wasn't. What got Yami the most was the dull, reddish, almost lifeless eyes. Yugi's were a soulful amethyst color, full of life. Another thing that hit him hard was what that boy spelled out on a letter board. Yugi never said anything that mean. _'That boy isn't Yugi. He just looks a little like him,'_ Yami told himself as he walked home from the bus stop.

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: I finally got relaesed from the hospital.<strong>

**Yami: I demand to know why you made Yugi act that way.**

**He's temporarily OOC and OOS, Yami. Just settle down before you hurt something.**

**Yami: Like you?**

**I warn you Yami, I'm the master of confusion and of words. You mess with me and I'll mess with your mind.  
><strong>

**Yugi: I know that OOC means Out Of Character, but OOS?**

**Out Of Sorts. Yami, just be glad that you caught a glimpse of him.**

**Yami: *Glares at me.*  
><strong>

**Bakura: I dare you to try and mess with me.**

**Oh, go and eat your disease-ridden, uncooked, still bleeding slab of muscle and leave me alone you mentally ill pilpherer.**

**Bakura: ?**

***SIGH* Go and eat your raw steak and leave me alone you deranged thief.**

**Yami: *Laughing and speaking incoherently.***

**Ryou: I'd better go and stop my yami from holding up a library or a bookstore just to get a dictionary.**  
><strong>Until next time...<strong>


	20. Chapter 20

**Yami: *Rereading the last chapter***

**Yugi: What's the matter Yami? Did PhantomBrat leave something out?**

**Yami: No, but she's going to wish she did.**

**Yugi: Calm down Yami. It's only a story. I'm still here and perfectly healthy.**

***Walks into the room with oversized binder* Yami, I over heard you and your implied threat.**

**Yami: I've seen that binder before...**

**Before I whipped out my monsters and set them after Seto. Now let's call a truce; you don't threaten me and I keep my monsters from harming you.**

**Yami: Deal.  
><strong>

**Ryou: Reviewer Response Time...**

**Mokuba: Wow! Seven reviewers! So I'll say this; To our regulars: Thanks for staying with us!**

**Noah: And welcome to our newest reviewers; newby6320 and XxKageTenshixX.**

* * *

><p>Yami was sitting in the kitchen when he heard the doorbell. Joey came in eating a sub sandwich that he bought at the corner store, "What's with the look? You look like someone took your deck away."<p>

"I saw a boy over at Kaiba's that looked like Yugi," Yami stated blankly.

"So what's got you depressed? Why isn't he here," Joey asked before taking another bite.

Yami sighed, "Because he may have looked like Yugi, but he acted quite violently while I was there."

"What'd he do?"

"He was fighting Ryou and Bakura. After Seto gave him something, he pointed out a message that Yugi would never have said or written. He said that he hated everyone, that they 'didn't play nice' and told them to go away. I got a good look at him. His eyes were a dull, red-tinted color," he replied. "I didn't hear anything until I was in the dining-room for a few minutes. That boy didn't even see me and I didn't know he was there until I heard a crashing sound."

Joey sat next to Yami, "I'm calling Tea and Tristan. They might know what to do."

* * *

><p>Heba's POV<p>

'_Where am I? Why's head hurt? Where voice owner? Want see him. Felt so sad…hurt…familiar._

* * *

><p>Ryou entered Heba's room and saw that he was awake. "Hey, Heba, feeling better," he asked, sitting in the chair nearest the bed. He noticed that there was a small spark of life in the small teen's eyes.<p>

Heba made a small motion, indicating that he wanted his letter-board. **'W-H-E-R-E-V-O-I-C-E-A-T…W-A-N-T-S-E-E-H-I-M…'**

Realizing that he meant Yami, Ryou shook his head, "He had to go home, Heba. He may not be coming back for a while."

Lifeless eyes looked down, **'L-E-A-V-E-L-O-N-E…G-O-W-A-Y…'**

Ryou sighed, "Are you hungry? It's about dinnertime."

'**N-O-W-A-N-T-F-O-O-D…W-A-N-T-L-O-N-E…G-O-W-A-Y…'**

Ryou left the room feeling defeated. Perhaps his yami was right, but he was certain that that small spark of life was due to Yami's presence in the room earlier that day.

* * *

><p>"So you're trying to say that Kaiba's got Yugi drugged up and won't let him come home," Yami questioned Tristan's theory. "That boy did NOT act like Yugi, nor did he utter one solitary sound the entire time!"<p>

Tea intervened, "He could have been in an accident and wound up 'broken' in a sense."

Joey thought for a moment, "When did this boy start throwing a fit?"

"When I was in the Kaiba's dining room, a few minutes after I had gotten there," Yami replied.

Joey paced, "Did either of you see each other?"

"I told you earlier that we didn't even get a look at each other until I went to see what was going on," Yami snapped. "What's this got to do with looking for Yugi?"

Joey ignored the question and grabbed the phone. He dialed a number, "Hey, Ryou. Got a question for you. Yami said that the Kaiba's got some company. Who's that kid that Yami says was at rich-boy's home? He's Seto's cousin from Egypt? Do you think he's up to hanging out at the arcade? Hates games huh? Maybe we could take him to the park or something? Not without permission. Ok, thanks. Bye."

Tea was confused, "What was that all about?"

"Ryou said that the kid's Kaiba's cousin. Apparently the kid was in an accident and Seto's looking after him. Ryou says that the kid's got some issues and tends to lose his temper now and then," Joey replied.

Yami looked up, "So that explains why he was having a fit and needed that shot. But that doesn't explain why I heard Yugi's thoughts. They sounded weak; he said he was so tired. I need to find him. He could be dying, or seriously injured."

"Don't think that way Yami," Tea told him. "I'm sure that he'll turn up soon. We just need to keep looking."

Yami nodded.

* * *

><p>"Seto, he says that he's not hungry," Ryou informed him. "He wants to be left alone."<p>

Bakura's head snapped up, "We're wasting our time. Just send him to Ishizu and be done with it. His grandfather's staying there before he comes back. I'm tired of playing the runt's Dark. Besides, I may not be able to hold back the next time he loses it."

'He 'said' that he wanted to see Yami. I saw a bit of life in his eyes," Ryou stated. "When I told him that he went home and might not come back, his whole attitude changed. On some level, he subconsciously wants Yami to find him. Maybe that's why he threw the fit earlier."

Mokuba had been listening, "Maybe we can try something to bring him back. You know small things that might spark a memory or something. Like bringing his friends over one at a time to see of there's a reaction."

"Kid, I don't think that's a good idea," Bakura snapped. "They abandoned him. His own yami abandoned him, leaving me to take his extra Light. The runt's dying and we can't help him."

Seto stopped typing, "What do you mean by 'he's dying'?"

"He's burning out and there's nothing we can do to stop it. Yami is the only Dark that can handle the amount of Light that runt has. I can only do so much. Not even Marik could help at this point. That red tint to his eyes isn't from busted blood vessels, it's him. It's a sign that he's nearly too far gone for even his yami to save him. Most of his problems are from the fact that the pathetic Pharaoh has neglected him for too long," Bakura pointed out. "The amnesia doesn't help matters much. You may as well drug the runt up and lock his door. Then invite the Pharaoh over for a nice long visit just to see if his presence helps him a bit."

Seto growled, "There is no way I'm drugging Yugi just to knock him out for no reason but to test some crazed theory. It might kill him."

"Pheh, looks like stern old Seto Kaiba has a soft side after all," Bakura taunted. "Fine, but the next time he has a fit, do what I said. There'll be a lot more of them shortly and with no warning. Yami's not to blame for the last one either."

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: So that explains why Bakura said I was dying a while back. So is Yami feeling anything?<strong>

**Not really going to say much as that will be revealed later**.

**Yami *Glares at me*: I'm going to have to go through the next chapters just to see what's going on aren't I?**

***Glaring back at Yami* You do that and you'll ruin the whole thing! Besides, I don't think you could find the right chapter as I had to move one or two to fill in a gap.**

**Mokuba: Until next time...**


	21. Chapter 21

**Yugi: What's the matter PhantomBrat?**

**I hit the worst possible spot on my foot and it hurts like crazy.**

**Bakura: And why is that?**

**Because I was an idiot and jumped off a swingless-swingset at 10 and wound up breaking a bone on the outside of my foot...ow...**

**Yugi: Ouch.**

**Yeah. The cast wasn't fun either.**

**Ryou: It could have been worse.**

**Yeah, I've been told. But I shouldn't have done that in the first place.**

**Yugi: Anyways, PhantomBrat wanted to thank everyone for their glowing reviews.**

**Thank you. *Leaves to hunt down my ever-elusive ACE wrap.***

**Bakura: Just take a painkiller!**

**NEVER!**

**Mokuba: Enjoy this latest chapter...  
><strong>

* * *

><p>A few days passed after the argument between Seto and Bakura. Mokuba finally got Seto to allow him to take Heba to a nearby park for a day out. Heba was dressed in a grey shirt and black shorts. Before he was allowed to leave the house, Ryou used a blue bandana to hide his hair. Mokuba sat him down at a picnic table and told him to stay put. He knew that Heba wasn't going to go anywhere without him, his brother, or Ryou and Bakura there.<p>

As Mokuba came back with some ice cream, he saw Heba get hit with a Frisbee. Two people came running over. It turned out to be Joey and Tristan. "We're so sorry kid," Joey apologized. "Are you alright?"

No response despite a small trickle of blood from the boy's forehead. "Are you alright," Joey asked the boy. He only got a few blinks and a blank stare.

Tristan noticed when the boy looked down at a board and pointed to letters: **'Y-O-U-M-E-A-N…N-O-P-L-A-Y-N-I-C-E…'**

Joey lost his temper, "Why don't you say that to my face?"

"Leave him alone, Joey," Mokuba warned him. "Can't you see that he can't speak? My cousin's not been the same since his accident and here you are trying to pick a fight with him. How low can you get?" Mokuba turned to Heba, "Are you alright?"

'**W-H-A-T-R-E-D-W-E-T…'**

Just then, he noticed that Heba was bleeding, "Seto's going to pitch a fit when I get you home. Thanks a lot, you two."

Tea came over, "What's taking so long to get the Frisbee?" She noticed Heba, "Are you alright?"

He looked at her blankly and she noticed the cut. "I'm so sorry if these two did that to you."

'**H-U-R-T…N-O-F-E-E-L-G-O-O-D…'**

"Mokuba, I think your friend isn't feeling too well," Tea said to gain his attention.

* * *

><p>Heba's POV<p>

'_Something off…Feel strange…Who these three? Mokuba…Want go home…Hurt…Feel …missing something…what?'_

* * *

><p>As Yami walked over to meet the others to look for Yugi, Heba grabbed his melted ice cream and threw it blindly. It hit the tree nearest to Joey. Joey snapped, "You little…You almost hit me with that."<p>

As he said this, Heba started to get up from the table. Bakura and Ryou showed up before he got too far. Bakura gave him an injection of some of the medication that Dr. Campbell had handed Seto. Heba immediately went limp. "What's wrong with him," Tea asked.

Mokuba sighed, "He's my cousin Heba Amonra. He's been having random fits after his accident. That medication is the only thing that seems to help. Sure it puts him to sleep, but he's a lot calmer when he wakes up. I'm sorry about the ice cream, Joey. We just can't tell when he flips."

"Seto wanted us to tell you that it's nearly dinnertime and wanted Heba home," Ryou stated. "He's not going to like hearing that he's had another fit, and in public this time. Heba's likely going to be inside for a while."

"I could help you carry him back," Yami offered the three. He felt as if someone was staring at him. He looked and found that Heba was weakly staring at him with his strange eyes. Within seconds, they slid closed and Heba's rapid breathing slowed with sleep.

Bakura growled, "I can carry the runt. Just go and play with your little friends, Pharaoh." As if to prove a point, he lifted the small form in his arms. "I want you to leave him alone. You and your friends have done enough damage," he hissed. "Wheeler better hope that little Heba doesn't have a concussion later or Seto will sue him for all he's worth."

"But I didn't hit him," Joey huffed.

Bakura glared at him, "Not but that stupid disc belongs to you and that's enough to have you charged."

"Let's just get him home and into bed so that he can rest before Seto gets home," Ryou requested. "I also want to get that cut cleaned out before it gets infected."

Mokuba grabbed the letter-board and followed the yami-hikari pair.

* * *

><p>Yami's POV<p>

'_What is it about that boy? Something strange is going here. What is Heba's story? Why haven't we heard about him before just recently? I need to find out and see about getting some help in finding Yugi. Seto's the only one with enough power and connections around here. _

_I could call Pegasus, but then I'd have to admit to him that I've screwed up, royally. He wouldn't let me forget, even when I do find Yugi…IF I find Yugi at all. Why didn't I just stay home and help him? I'm supposed to be his other half and his brother. I've failed at both roles. _

_And why is Bakura suddenly calling me Pharaoh again? He never calls me that unless something's up. Grandpa's going to pitch a fit if Yugi's not found by the time he gets home. Yugi's mother will likely kick me out and I'll be alone._

_Why does Heba seem so familiar to me?'_

* * *

><p>Seto had just gotten home and headed upstairs to check on Heba. His anger flared when he saw Heba's bruise and bandage. "WHAT HAPPENED," Seto almost yelled, after reaching the bottom step. "I told you that he wasn't to get hurt. That was one of the conditions when I agreed to let you take him outside, Mokuba. You were supposed to be watching him."<p>

"I was," Mokuba protested. "Joey accidentally hit him in the head with a Frisbee. Shortly after that, Heba started one of his fits. He nearly got Joey with his ice cream. Bakura had to give him the shot before he got out of hand. Yami showed up as he calmed down."

Seto growled, "From now on, Heba's to stay here. No going outside and no asking to take him anywhere."

"Big Brother, you're going overboard," Mokuba protested. "You can't keep him locked in here forever!"

"Until his grandfather comes home, Yugi's staying here. If word gets out that the 'King of Games' is a mental case, he'd be locked away and never released. In his condition, he's a danger to himself and others around him," Seto told his brother. "It's best that he stay inside and away from anything that might upset him. That includes Yami and the geek-squad."

Mokuba sighed in defeat, "Fine. He'll stay inside and I'll try to keep him calm."

Seto accepted this and went to his study.

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: Why hit me with a Frisbee?<strong>

**It was the only way I could think of to get you 'introduced' to the other three. I'm sorry. Would a hug make you feel better?**

**Yugi: It might. But no more shots would be in order.**

**I'll try, but I can't really promise much because I added this in between two chapters that were already written.**

**Yugi: So what chapter are we onto now?**

**Let me check. *Opens folder* I've written up to chapter 25. But you know that this will be outdated by the time it's posted.**

**Yugi: Yup. I just wanted to find out beforehand.**

**Yami: When can Yugi take those contacts out? He's starting to creep me out with those eyes.**

**Yugi: But it's for my part, Yami. In nearly every other story you get the crimson or maroon eyes. Well, now it's my turn.**

**Yami: But do they **_**have**_** to be dull or emotionless?**

**That's just what happened. He won't have to wear them too much longer. Happy?**

**Yami: Yes, I am.**

**No you're not. Happy's one of the Seven Dwarfs. Aww, turn that frown upside-down.**

**Yami: Nope.**

**Anything that might make you smile?**

**Yami: Nope.**

**Not even a video of Bakura role-playing as Jack Sparrow, in full costume and doing nearly every line and adding a few of his own?**

**Yami: Are you serious! I would love to see that!**

**Jack Sparrow: There should be a 'CAPTAIN' in there, missy.**

**Bakura: *on video* Look at me. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow and I love rum more than the Black Pearl.**

_**Captain**_** Jack Sparrow: *T-T* I don't sound like that. How could you?**

***Pats him on the back* There, there, Mr. Sparrow. I'm sure that Bakura meant no offense. He's just trying out for the worst impersonator pageant.**

**Ryou: Until next time…**


	22. Chapter 22

**I'm so happy!**

**Joey: Why are you so happy, PhantomBrat?**

**Yugi: *looks at review counter* It could be that there are nearly four times as many reviews as there are chapters.**

**Yuppers, Yugi.**

**Mokuba: There are a few new reviewers to add to your list.**

**Yup, so who wants to thank our wonderful reviewers? *Looks at those present* I pick Seto, since he's skipped out on the last few chapters.**

**Seto: *Glares at me***

**Nevermind Mr. Grumpybutt. Ryou would you and Yugi like the honors?**

**Ryou and Yugi: Sure!**

**Ryou: Thank you for reviewing: Redglowingheart, Doragon-chan, OliviaGraham, and Youngbountygirl.**

**Yugi: And welcome to the ranks; libutterfly315, sakura2112, and Saskie.**

**Mokuba: To date there are over 6, 500 hits. We're on a roll here!**

**Yami: I checked PhantomBrat's flash drive and found out that she's holding back on here. She's already got up to chapter 34 written here and up to chapter 33 on 'Hunted'. Hmm. I wonder what's on the second flash drive.**

**Yami! I told you to leave my laptop alone!**

**Malik: Hope you all enjoy this next chapter.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Two weeks later…<p>

Mokuba went to Heba's room with some vanilla pudding that he had swiped from the fridge. "Heba, I brought you something. Feel like skipping lunch and going straight to dessert?"

Heba just sat there in his bed, staring at the wall. He had been that way since he woke up that morning. Heba hadn't left his room unless Bakura carried him through the house. He had, it seemed, forgotten how to walk just last week. Seto was at work, and Ryou and Bakura had stepped out for a bit. He decided to go against his brother's wishes and call Yami over. Mokuba helped Heba lie down before he left the room.

"Yami, can you come over for a bit? It's boring here and I wanted to play a two player game, but nobody's around that wants to play. Heba? He's not feeling too well. I've got him lying down. I'll have our driver pick you up. Ok, see you in fifteen."

* * *

><p>Ryo had decided to call Solomon and let him know about Yugi's condition. Odion* answered the phone, "Ishtar residence, Odion speaking."<p>

"Um, Odion, it's me Ryou. Is Solomon or Ishizu there?"

"Ishizu's here, but Solomon isn't due in for another day."

"Might I speak with Ishizu?"

"Of course."

"This is Ishizu. Odion said that you wanted to speak with me."

"Yes, it's about Yugi."

"I see. He's been suffering as of late."

"Yes. Kura said something that's sort of unsettling for me."

"That our young friend is not long for this world. He's in need of his own Dark and is suffering from the abandonment of his friends and the Pharaoh."

"Yes."

"How is he today?"

"He's just been staring at a blank wall and hasn't eaten much. The only time I've seen him with some sort of emotion is when Yami came around Seto's two weeks ago. They didn't even see each other when Yugi went into a fit."

"It seems that he's trying to stay with us. His Light may be overwhelming him, and Yami's presence called out to him. If need be, keep Yugi in his room, but have the Pharaoh over during short periods of time. In fact, young Mokuba is doing that just now."

"I need to get over there to help Yugi."

"I understand. By the way, I wanted to commend you on your choice of last name for Yugi's alias. Amon-Ra, 'hidden light', seems to fit as Yugi's hiding within plain sight of the Pharaoh. Call me if you need any information and I'll be sure to let Solomon know of his grandson's condition."

* * *

><p>Yami had been at the Kaiba's for nearing fifteen minutes when Ryou and Bakura rushed into the house. "Mokuba, where's Heba," Ryou panted.<p>

"He's asleep in his room," Mokuba replied. Bakura ran upstairs as he continued talking, "At least he was lying down when I left."

Yami was confused at the interaction. "Have you checked on him," Ryou asked.

"I was just getting ready to."

Bakura came back downstairs, carrying a limp, pale figure. "I can't get him to wake. He's burning up."

Yami felt drawn to the bundle in the former thief's arms. He noticed that the boy was struggling to breathe. Mokuba's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, "Lie Heba on the couch and hit the red button by the phone. It'll call our doctor. Seto has some oxygen bottles stored in the closet, go and get one Yami. Ryou could you get as many ice packs from the fridge as you can carry. Marianne, go and soak the blankets that are in the linen closet. Matthew, Vance, go help her."

Within minutes, the doctor and Seto ran into the room. Seto glared at Yami, who left feeling uneasy. Just as he left the house, Heba stopped breathing. "Don't you dare die on us now, Heba," Mokuba cried.

Yami heard Mokuba's cry and ran back into the room. As he did this, Heba started breathing weakly. "Get out of here, Yami," Seto growled. "You've done enough damage."

Yami had had enough, "Help me find Yugi and I'll leave."

"He's gone, Yami," Seto hissed. "He may not be coming back."

* * *

><p>Heba's POV<p>

'_No feel well…feel weak…can't breathe…burning inside…Want voice…dark…everything dark…head hurt…heart pain…Broken? I broken…shattered…*Help…need…dark…need Voice…Comfort…so tired…*_

* * *

><p><em>*Help…need…dark…need Voice…Comfort…so tired…*<em>

Yami's head snapped up, "He's nearby."

"He's stabilized Seto," the doctor called out. "Though you might want to get him to a…"

Seto interrupted, "No hospitals. He's staying here. We'll use the room that was set up for me a while back. I want Jonah Campbell called in immediately. He's the doctor that took care of him and knows what to look for. Yami, you can stay here. But stay away from Heba. I don't want you putting any ideas in his head."

Yami nodded and watched as Bakura carried the frail boy to the indicated room. Why did he feel the need to follow?

Bakura came back down after Ryou went up to watch over the boy. "How is he," Yami asked out of concern.

"Better. He's breathing on his own, but he's very weak," Bakura replied, staring at the mug of coffee that Marianne set in front of him. "Why did you leave for that ridiculous trip?"

Yami was silent for a moment, "I wanted to be with my friends. That was the same day that Yugi went missing. I should have stayed home and spent some time with my new brother. I haven't been sleeping very well, just enough to get through the day. When I do sleep, it's nightmares of Yugi lying in a forgotten alley. "

* * *

><p>Ryou sat with Heba for half the night. The Light-induced fever had broken around one that morning, leaving the fading hikari exhausted. As Mokuba came in for his turn, Ryou headed downstairs. Yami was still there. He pulled Seto and Bakura out of Yami's range of hearing, "I think we should tell Yami what's going on before things get out of hand."<p>

"I think not," Seto hissed. "He's only here because of legality issues. If Heba decides to die on us here, there's going to be an investigation. Yami is a witness to and would be a possible suspect should he die."

Bakura growled, "Yami's being in the same building is helping. But what if it's barely enough? He's been without his Dark for five months at least! He's dying because of it. Nothing in your medical profession will save him. If you don't let the Pharaoh know what's going on, you may as well arrange a funeral because he's going to die."

Before anyone could say anything else, the front door opened revealing Marik and Malik.

* * *

><p><strong>It seems like Yami's finally realizing that there's something going on.<strong>

**Ryou: So when are you going to let Yami know what's happening?**

**Maybe in a chapter or so.**

**Yami: You're so evil.**

**No I'm not. I'm just trying to make a good story is all.**

**Yami: E-V-I-L...**

**Nu-uh. I'm innocent.**

**Yami: Yugi is innocent, Ryou is innocent. You, not.**

**If you had stayed on my good side then things would have gone better for you.**

**Yami: Are you saying that you have a yami?**

**If I did, then she's hiding from the evilness that is plot bunnies and hunting Meepits.**

**Mokuba: I love Neopets! *Checking PhantomBrat's laptop and active neopets account* HAHaHAHAHA! SaSuKeUcHiHa2986 got turned into a girl!**

**Yami: How come I get yelled at when I use the laptop but Mokuba doesn't?**

**Because Mokuba doesn't go snooping through my files and my flash drives. I regret letting you learn how flash drives work.**

**Yugi: Until next time...**

**Noah: Just a little editing note...Newby6320-Thank you for pointing out the error.**

**I've corrected it. I wanted to find a different way to bring Marik and Malik into the story.**

**Noah: Until next time..._again_...  
><strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**Yami: So what are Malik and Marik doing at Seto's?**

**I can't tell you without ruining the whole chapter.**

**Mokuba: I hope that they don't go blurting stuff out like they usually do.**

**Malik: Marik's the bigmouth, not me!**

**Uh, why is Marik's mouth taped shut?**

**Malik: I'm trying to keep him from ruining the chapter. YAMI IF YOU TOUCH THAT TAPE, I SWEAR I'LL BURN YOUR DECK AND FLUSH ITS ASHES DOWN THE TOILET!**

**Ryou and Yugi: O.o**

**Mokuba: Review Response!**

**Yugi: WOW! 9 Reviews for chapter 22!**

**Ryou: Thanks to our regular reviewers. And a warm welcome to the ranks of readers; 12417, Digital Moon Fighter, and 8393.**

**Joey: Enjoy this chapter...  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Where's the runt at? We were on our way here when Ishizu called us and said that Heba's dying," Marik blurted out.<p>

Ryou sighed at this yami's lack of discretion, "Follow me, but keep quiet."

Yami followed the three without any hindrance from Seto or Bakura. He was not prepared for the sight. Heba had been hooked up to various monitors and medications. Oxygen was being given to him with a breathing mask. He looked so pale and thin lying there. "He's not doing too well," Ryou told the pair, not acknowledging Yami's presence. "The doctor said that he might not recover this time."

Yami brushed past the three and headed to Heba's bedside. Something drew him there and he just couldn't fight it any longer. Ryou was concerned about the frail boy. He was just lying there struggling for life. Seto entered the room, "Do you have any idea what's going on yet, Yami?"

"Not really," Yami admitted.

Malik tried a different approach, "Do you remember what Ishizu told you when the Gods granted you a second life?"

"That our other halves relied on us, and we on them. This need for balance would continue for anywhere between one to four years. By that time, we would no longer need to balance each other. But until then, we are to be there for each other. If they die, we may follow shortly after," he replied, still staring at the frail boy. "But I was home in the evenings, as was Yugi before he vanished."

Ryou shook his head, "That wasn't enough. Yugi thrives on friendship and just being home wasn't being there for him."

As Ryou said this, Heba's eyes cracked open, revealing dull, tired amethyst irises instead of the dull, lifeless red-tinted ones. Yami noticed this, "Yugi?"

As he said this, his eyes slid shut. Seconds later the monitors went crazy. Jonah Campbell had just been coming in to check on his patient, "Everyone, clear the room!"

As he said this, the noise stopped and settled down. Jonah checked his vitals, "They're holding steady for the moment. But he's not responding to any stimulus, I'm afraid he's in another coma."

"What do you mean by another coma," Yami demanded.

"When he was brought into the hospital almost five months ago, he had severe, life-threatening injuries," Jonah began. "After the operations were done, he slipped into a coma. After these three came in, he was awake within a month."

* * *

><p>They took the conversation into another room while the medical team checked him out.<p>

Yami glared at Seto and Bakura, "Is that, or is that not, Yugi? Tell me now!"

"It is, but he's not the same," Ryou replied. "When he woke up from the first coma, he couldn't talk. We had to watch him for his 'fits'. He only ate soups and vanilla pudding. The Yugi we knew wouldn't pass up a burger for soups and he wouldn't even touch vanilla pudding. This one does." Ryou turned to Bakura, crying.

"Face it, Pharaoh," Bakura stated while trying to comfort his hikari. "The Yugi you know is gone. He may never come back from this. If he does, then it'll be a miracle. He's broken. His Light's just barely there. When you left him alone, bullies moved in. They nearly killed him while you were playing games and having fun. He was sick on several occasions and you never noticed. I had to have him come over so that his Light didn't overwhelm him. I had to take over the role that you so graciously abandoned. Had you been there for the runt, Pharaoh, he wouldn't be in this mess!"

Malik pulled out his phone while Bakura was lecturing Yami and called his sister to have Solomon on the next available flight. He asked her and Odion to come as well. "He's not doing to well," he informed his sister.

Yami headed back to Yugi's room and sat near the head of the hospital bed. It was originally set up for Kaiba after his first loss to Yami. Yugi looked small just lying there surrounded by wires and machines. Ryou came in, "Tea and the others are on their way here. We didn't tell them about Yugi. They're coming here for you."

* * *

><p>Tea was the first person into the room. She didn't notice the frail figure in the bed until Joey entered carrying a bag of chips, a sandwich, and a can of soda. Joey spotted the form and dropped his food and drink, "Please tell me that that isn't my little pal."<p>

"Oh my god," Tea gasped. "Please no not this."

She buried her face in Tristan's jacket as he entered, "What's going on here?" He finally noticed Yugi's frail form in the bed, "What's wrong with Yugi?"

"The runt's weak," Bakura stated bluntly as he entered. "He's burnt out and he's been trying to fight it for so long. His Light's killing him. That beating that he took a while back didn't help." He turned to Yami, "Malik's called his sister. They're headed for the airport right now and should be here tomorrow. Solomon's with them."

Yami nodded and turned back to the hikari. It hurt him to see Yugi struggling to stay alive when he knew that this was preventable. Ryou came in with some disks, "I thought you might want to see these. They're all of Yugi after he woke up. Sorry about the name change, it was a cover for in case he got better."

He set the first disk in the player and started it.

"**Heba, is there anything you want? There are hamburgers and fries," Ryou coaxed. "The nurses brought up a picture menu. How about we try that? Just point to what you want."**

'**Heba' pointed to the picture of a bowl. "So soup it is," Ryou stated.**

**The image switched to Mokuba, "I brought you a gift. It's called a letter-board. You just point to the letters like this." He pointed to a series of letters as he read them off, "G-E-T-W-E-L-L-S-O-O-N. This should work better than blinking to yes or no questions all the time. Here, you try."**

**The board was handed to 'Heba', 'H…I…'**

"**Well, it's a start," Mokuba praised the boy. "Keep practicing and you'll be telling stories faster than Seto can e-mail his Board of Directors."**

'**Heba' just stared blankly at the preteen.**

Yami noticed that his eyes were a dull red color in the film.

"**Heba, let's play a round of 'Go Fish'," Mokuba stated.**

'**W-H-A-T-G-O-F-I-S-H…'**

"**It's a card game."**

'**Heba' shook his head, 'N-O-W-A-N-T-P-L-A-Y…N-O-P-L-A-Y-G-A-M-E…'**

"**What about we play…" Mokuba was interrupted by a book smashing into a wall. He looked at 'Heba'.**

'**N-O-P-L-A-Y-G-A-M-E…N-O-P-L-A-Y-G-A-M-E…' He started throwing things at the wall.**

**Seto had come in with Ryou and Bakura, a doctor and two aides. The two held him down while the doctor gave him something to calm him down.**

The four of them were shocked. This wasn't the Yugi that they knew. He always wanted to play games and never threw anything harder than pillows and snowballs. They continued watching the disks.

* * *

><p><strong>It looks like Joey finally lost his appetite.<strong>

**Seto: Wheeler better clean that mess up.**

**Joey: Yugi's dying and all you can care about is a stupid mess on a stupid floor, in a stupid room, in your stupid mansion!**

**Joey, manners. Besides you were the one that made that mess in the fist place.**

**Joey: So?**

**Ugh, Joey, would you like it if Serenity made a mess in someone's home and didn't clean it up?**

**Joey: No!**

**Then just clean the mess. Seto, you could be a little nicer.**

**Seto: I think not.**

**Then I won't let you in on another plot twister.**

**Yami: Couldn't Marik be a little more discreet in is 'greeting'?**

**Sorry, but I couldn't just up and change his personality like that. Besides, I tried to write it differently and it didn't quite work out.  
><strong>

**Mokuba: Until next time...**


	24. Chapter 24

**_Yugi: So many reviews!_**

**_Yuppers. A grand total of 97 so far! I HAVE BEAT MY OWN PERSONAL RECORD!_**

**_Bakura: *Shoves PhantomBrat aside* I wanted to let Spindlegal know that I loved kicking down Seto's door! Plus, I wanted to call him 'Mortal' and shove something at him with a death-threat.  
><em>**

**_Yami: Just get on with the story already!_**

**_*Pouts and fake cries* Yami and Bakura are bein' mean to me!_**

**_Yami: X.X_**

**_Bakura: x.X  
><em>**

**_*Pokes Bakura with a stick*_**

**_ Joey: OMG! PhantomBrat's killed Yami!_**

**_Marik: She's also killed the King of Thieves! SHE'S EVIL!  
><em>**

**_Nu-uh. Watch. *Sticks ice down Yami's and Bakura's shirts and runs* That's being a pest, NOT EVIL!  
><em>**

* * *

><p>'<strong>Heba' sat there in the chair as Mokuba made a shake. His expressionless eyes just stared as the preteen made a mess of the kitchen. "You're going to love this, Heba."<strong>

**Mokuba set the milkshake in front of him. Heba just stared at it. He pointed to his letter-board. 'N-O-W-A-N-T…'**

**Mokuba sighed and set the glass in the sink. "Seto said that I could take you to the park as long as Ryou and Bakura came with."**

'**W-H-A-T-P-A-R-K…'**

"**It's where you go to sit out, walk, or do whatever."**

'**T-I-R-E-D…'**

"**Ok. You could take a nap instead."**

Yami looked beside him at his fading Light, "Please don't give up Yugi. I'm here for you."

* * *

><p>Ishizu and Solomon arrived the following morning while Seto was at work. Mokuba led them to the doorway of Yugi's room. "I just want to warn you that he's not doing too well," Mokuba started. "He's been the same since yesterday."<p>

He opened the door and stepped back to allow them a look at Yugi. Tears came to Solomon's eyes as he saw his grandson lying there struggling to stay alive. Yugi looked so small and fragile in the large hospital bed with wires attached to monitors and an IV supplying fluids to him.

What caught Ishizu's attention was the missing Item, "Where's the Puzzle?"

Yami looked up at her, "It's at the house. Yugi felt that it would be safer there. He hasn't worn it since I was given this new life."

"Go and get it," she started, but stopped. "Better yet, have one of the others get it and quickly."

Mokuba spoke up, "Just tell me where it is and I'll get it and be back in thirty minutes."

"Yugi keeps it in his room on the bed post," Yami replied. "He's got a Duel Monsters poster with Kuriboh on it on his door."

"Alright, I'm going now. If Seto calls, tell him I'm busy. I'm taking Ryou and Malik with me," Mokuba said as he headed from the room.

Yami turned to Ishizu, "Why the need for the Puzzle?"

"When you spent time with him, he no longer needed the Puzzle for balance. But now it is needed. You two have been apart for too long and his Light is too much for him. The Puzzle should help to restore the balance that was lost. Tell me, have you been inside his Soul-room as of late," she asked.

He hesitated, but answered, "No, I haven't. As far as I know, neither of us goes into the Puzzle anymore."

"I'm sure that if you were to enter now, it would be a painful sight. Yugi's Room, as well as your own, is a reflection of his being," she pointed out. "If he has been in pain, it would show in his Room."

Yami looked at his other half and their grandfather. Solomon was stroking Yugi's hair and asking him to not give up. He felt awful seeing the suffering that everyone was going through seeing the young gamer struggling for life.

* * *

><p>Mokuba returned with the Puzzle, but was upset. He handed a box to Yami, "It started coming apart on the way here. I hope that you can fix it."<p>

Yami opened the lid and saw that there were a few pieces lying separate from the Puzzle. He knew that as long as no others came loose, he could put them in with little problem. He began placing the pieces back into their proper slots.

Solomon called Yami into an empty room to talk to him privately. "None of the others have heard about this yet," he began. "But this isn't the first time that Yugi's been fighting for his life."

Yami was confused, "What happened? Yugi's never told me anything about his past."

"That's because he doesn't remember any of it. You see, Yugi and his father were in a car accident. Yugi was five and his father, Jamie, decided to take Yugi on a father-son outing to the mall for specialty ice cream. The roads were wet from the recent rain and they were in front of a drunk driver. The driver hit their car from behind and pushed them over a guardrail." Solomon paused, and then continued, "The car flipped over. Jamie died on site. Yugi wound up with a severe concussion, a broken arm, and needed stitches in his forehead and shoulder. He was in a medically-induced coma to reduce any possibility of him trying to push himself. When he was allowed to wake up, he couldn't remember anything but his love of games. I was told that for as young as he was, it was best that we try not to force him to remember. The experts then said that it was best that he 'move forward' and not end up with 'survivor's guilt'. Yugi's mother removed all the photos of Jamie and hid them in the attic. She didn't want to have Yugi ask questions about him and then lie to keep him from finding out the truth."

"Then why isn't she here," Yami asked.

Solomon sighed, "Zoë couldn't stand the thought of loosing Yugi and took the job offer for the cruise line's chef position less than a year after Jamie's death and the near loss of Yugi's life. She calls periodically and rarely makes time to visit. She doesn't feel right coming back because she's only seen Yugi five times during the eleven years she's been gone. I've told her that I can't live forever and that she has two boys now that need her. She laughed and said that Yugi has you and doesn't need her."

"But I didn't have a life until just last year," Yami scoffed.

Solomon looked at Yami, "Zoë knows that. I told her a little about you and Yugi. Remember that visit she made just after you and your friends came back from Duelist Kingdom?" Yami nodded. "She pointed out to me that Yugi had more confidence and had grown. She noticed later that Yugi looked like his innocent self."

"She must have been watching me and Joey dueling, and mistook me for Yugi," Yami admitted.

Solomon nodded, "She did. Zoë asked me what was going on with Yugi. I had no choice but to tell her about you and the Puzzle. She wanted me to melt it down and sell the remains. I told her that if I did that, then Yugi would lose his will to go on as he had struggled for eight years to put it together. That and through his efforts, he made friends that were with him no matter what. I explained to her that you were there to protect her son, even if Yugi wasn't aware of your presence until Duelist Kingdom."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Bakura: If I ever catch PhantomBrat, I'll make her suffer!<em>**

**_Ryou: If you do that, then we'll never know whether Yugi gets better._**

**_Bakura: Who cares about the Pharaoh's runt?_**

**_Ryou: Yugi's my friend. *PPPoD*_**

**_Bakura: What are you doing?_**

**_Mokuba: *enters and looks at Ryou* Awww. What's the matter Ryou? Why are you using the Pitiful Puppy Phace of Doom?  
><em>**

**_Ryou: 'Kura's being mean and threatening to hurt PhantomBrat._**

**_*Sneaks back in from 'A Day of Loss, A Day of New Beginnings'* Haha, Yami is so slow._**

**_Ryou: What's in the bag?_**

**_Let me just say this, never, EVER, give a sugar addict a bag of candy to hold._**

**_Bakura: What's a sugar addict and why never give them a bag of candy?_**

**_The only way to tell a sugar addict from a 'normal' person is to give them a bag of candy to hold._**

**_Bakura: Do you mind holding on to this bag of candy for a second while I tie my shoes?_**

**_Su-u-u-u-re. Second's up! *Runs off with Bakura's bag of candy* THANK YOU!_**

**_Bakura: X.X_**

**_Yugi: It looks like PhantomBrat strikes again!_**

**_Ryou: I suppose so. Until next time...  
><em>**


	25. Chapter 25

**Bakura: *Reads latest reviews* GRRRRRR**

**Yami: What's the matter? Going feral?**

**Actually he's pretty upset about the latest review. Some anonymous reviewer didn't even have the decency to leave a name and asked, and I quote, 'when r u gonna write more'.**

**Yugi: To the fans of Broken, please understand that PhantomBrat is at the mercy of her school schedule (Yes folks, she's a nearly year-round college student) and cannot always update.**

**I do try to update at least once a week for most active fics, but many are chapters in progress. Please be patient.**

**Yami: Speaking of being patient...Where's my candy?**

**Bakura: Mine too.**

**Ummm...it ran away?**

**Yami: Let me guess, Bakura. You asked her to hold a bag of sweets when she told you how to tell a sugar-addict from 'normal' people?**

***While Yami and Bakura are discussing the 'stolen sweets'* Hiya Marik. Long time, no see.**

**Marik: What are those two talking about?**

**The fact that they learned the hard way not to ask a sugar-addict to hold a bag of candy.**

**Marik: Why's that? By the way, please hold this bag of sweets for me.**

**Ok...*Runs off with bag* PHANTOMBRAT STRIKES AGAIN!**

**Marik: xx**

**Malik: Marik, where's my candy? *Sees Marik on the ground* Marik?**

**Ryou: *Looks at Yugi* Another victim?**

**Yugi: Another victim...**

**Ryou: We'd best warn the others before they fall for this 'test'.**

**Yugi: Enjoy the chapter while we warn the others of PhantomBrat's sugar-addiction.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Seto heard a knock at the door. It was Pegasus. "What do you want," Seto growled. "I never invited you here."<p>

"I was in the area and saw that there were several cars in your drive," Pegasus stated nonchalantly. "I just had to stop by and see what was going on."

Mokuba appeared on the upstairs landing, "Big brother, his fever's back." He paled when he saw Pegasus and quickly darted into the room behind him. Seconds later Yami looked out of one of the rooms. He noticed Yami as he ran into the room Mokuba was in. "I see that you have little Yugi over. I'm just dying to see him and his little band of friends," he said, making his way inside.

Seto blocked his way, "I swear that if you start anything, I'll have you arrested and charged with trespassing."

Pegasus held up his hands, "I swear that I won't start anything."

Seto stepped aside and allowed him passage. Pegasus headed up the stairs and towards the room that Yami had vanished into. He saw several people in the room. Four of them were blocking him from going any further than the center of the room. He spotted Yami, "Well, if it isn't Yugi-boy. I trust you're still beating Kaiba-boy at Duel Monsters."

"I'm not Yugi," he hissed.

"My mistake," he said, brushing it off. "Then you must be the former spirit of the Puzzle. Tell me, how is your young protégé?"

The four teens blocking his path split apart, letting Pegasus see what they were blocking from his view. There was a small boy lying in the bed struggling to breathe and sweating badly. Pegasus paled, "Is that Yugi-boy, and is he alright?"

Yami shook his head, "He's dying and I can't reach him."

Pegasus noted the underlying sound of defeat in the former spirit's voice. Before he could speak, a voice spoke up, "His fever's broken, but he can't take much more of this. If his temperature spikes like that again, he might not pull through."

One of the pairs of look-alikes walked over to Yami, "It looks like you aren't allowed to leave this room, Pharaoh."

"Kura," his softer copy snapped. "Be nice to Yami. If Yugi were awake, he wouldn't want to see you tormenting his yami."

"Why not," Bakura questioned indignantly. "He deserves far worse for what he allowed Yugi to go through. Besides, it seems that every time he leaves this room for more than a few minutes, the runt either stops breathing or his temperature goes up. If it keeps up, the shrimp's going to give up."

While the two were talking, Pegasus used his Eye to see what was going on with Yugi. He got nothing. There weren't even any thoughts or dreams that he could pick up, no emotions or a shred of a memory. It was as if the frail teen's soul was stolen.

"There is a way to save the Pharaoh's Light," a calm voice stated. The owner of the voice stepped forward, revealing it to be Shadi. "It will require the combined strength of the Millennium Items in order to work. Are you willing?"

Yami looked at the frail teen and then at Shadi, "Anything to save Yugi's life."

"Then I want you to do exactly as I say. All the Darks are to come with me. I want the innocents, Pegasus, and Ishizu to monitor the young one," he stated. "We are going to enter your young friend's mind and try to save him from within. Ryou and Malik, I want the two of you to guard the Scale until my return. You three gather around me and touch the Key. It is our only way in and out of Yugi's mind. Once we are inside, the rest is up to you."

* * *

><p>Three pairs of eyes opened and saw darkness. As their eyes adjusted, Yami noticed that they were in Yugi's half of the Puzzle. It had changed since the last time he had been inside. Instead of bright, cheerful painted walls, there were scorch marks marring their surface. The towers of blocks that Yugi was so proud of were no longer standing majestically. They were knocked down and scattered. The blocks were stained with char marks. Several toys and books were in their midst, torn and scorched. The bed that Yugi used now and then when they shared his body, was unkempt and the mattress was torn and toasted in places<p>

There was a second door in the room that wasn't there before. Yami was drawn to this, wondering when it had appeared and what it led to. "What happened in here," Marik asked no one.

Yami opened the door and saw a labyrinth on the other side. Shadi noticed this as well, "It seems that our young friend is confused and has become lost in his own mind as you yourself once was. Look here, see these markings?"

Yami saw the scorch marks leading away from the Soul Room and around a corner. "I think that Yugi wanted to find his way back but can't do so on his own now," Yami stated.

Shadi vanished leaving the three darks to their search. The three followed the burns until they reached a point where the marks split. Yami picked the left branch and found that it was a dead end. Before they turned to head down the way they came, Yami noticed something on the wall. It turned out to be a screen of some sort. He approached it.

_**FLASH**_

"_**Yugi, you don't look so good."**_

"_**I stayed up with Yami last night. He's concerned about why the door to the afterlife didn't open to let him go to be with his family. Plus, I think I might be getting a cold."**_

"_**Then you should go home and rest."**_

"_**I know, but there's that really important test that I can't miss, Tea. Mr. Barker said that he might not allow make-up tests since it's the last day before winter break."**_

"_**I have an idea, Yug. What if you stay long enough to take the test and then see the nurse? She'd just send ya home anyways."**_

"_**That's a great idea, Joey. Just don't strain yourself, Yugi."**_

"_**I won't, Tristan, I promise."**_

"_**We should get to class before the bell rings guys."**_

_**FLASH**_

"_**That's so cool that the Gods gave Yami his own body!"**_

"_**Yeah, now Mom's adopting him. Yami gets to be my brother."**_

"_**Wow, Yug. First you share your body with him and now you get to share your room with him."**_

"_**Not really, Joey. Mom said that he's to have his own room. She feels that he needs his own space and Grandpa wasn't going to force the issue. Besides, Yami is free to enter my room at any time. He used my Soul Room from time-to-time and my physical room is under the same terms. As long as my things are treated with respect, I have no problems sharing."**_

"_**So how'd you do on that test?"**_

"_**I passed it. Thanks for keeping me awake, Tristan. Had it not been for you watching out for me during the test, I would have fallen asleep and been kicked out before I had a chance to finish."**_

"_**I couldn't allow you to fail on account of a fever, Yugi."**_

"_**By the way, how's Yami?"**_

"_**He caught my cold. I feel so bad, Tea. He first week free of the Puzzle and having a real body of his own, and I had to get him sick."**_

"_**He knows that you didn't do it on purpose. He was the one looking after you the entire time, so of course he'd be the one to get your cold."**_

_**FLASH**_

Yami realized that this was part of Yugi's memories. He reached out to touch the screen and it burst into particles, revealing a locked box that looked like the box that once housed the pieces of the Puzzle. He picked the box out of its niche and tucked it into his pocket before meeting up with the others a few yards ahead.

* * *

><p><strong>Joey: *Pokes at the unconscious Marik with a stick* What happened to him?<strong>

**Yugi: He fell for PhantomBrat's trick...You know the one we've warned everyone about?**

**Malik: It's not a good idea to poke Marik with a stick.**

**Joey: Why's that?**

**Malik: Because he's bound to wake up and use the Millennium Rod to make you do something rather embarrassing.**

**Joey: I'm outta here!**

**Ryou: So PhantomBrat's missing, along with three bags of candy, and we don't know where she is or when she'll be back...  
><strong>

**Yugi: Everyone who hasn't fallen victim to her 'attack' has been warned to lock up their sweets...**

**Malik: I have know idea when Marik's going to wake up...**

**Mokuba: We wanted to thank our reviewers for the last chapter and ask that those that leave an anonymous review at least leave a name and to please be patient with PhantomBrat.**

**Noah: She's slowed down on updates for her studies and will try to update come stories at least once every week or two. If something comes up or changes that might affect any updates, she'll post it in her profile under the heading of UPDATE INFO...  
><strong>

**Yugi, Ryou, and Malik: Until next time...  
><strong>


	26. Chapter 26

**Bakura: Look what I found hiding behind textbooks in the middle of summer. It had its nose buried in a Yu-Gi-Oh book.  
><strong>

**LET ME GO! You better hope that you didn't stretch my shirt.  
><strong>

**Ryou: I think you should have just asked PhantomBrat what she was doing. She could have been taking a break.  
><strong>

***Brushes my clothes off* I was, thank you for understanding Ryou. Let me say this; Writing 102 is no cakewalk. I've been writing essays and had very little freetime to write.  
><strong>

**Yugi: Yami said that he's got a question for you.**

**Ok, ask away.  
><strong>

**Yami: Why did you allow the two psychos into Yugi's Soul-Room?**

**It's because they want to help Yugi make it through his problems.**

**Yugi: Settle down Yami.**

**Yami: They could be messing with your mind and completely damage you.**

**Yugi: Nope. Ishizu and Ryou threatened to make them go without meat for a month if they so much as messed with anything that would hurt me.**

**Ryou: Enjoy the chapter…**

* * *

><p>The group followed the burn patterns for what seemed like days. So far, Yami and the others had found a few scraps of fabric and a few places that were burnt on the ground. Marik spotted a small shadow dart across the path just ahead of them. He decided to check it out.<p>

He turned the corner and saw that it was a dead-end, but that there was a small boy wearing a pale blue shirt and black shorts staring at the stone wall. "Hey kid," he called. "What are you doing in here?"

The small child turned around and looked up, "I's lookin fors my daddy. Has you seed him? He pwomised to take me's for ice crewm. But he's goned now."

Marik was shocked to see a younger version of Yugi in front of him. He had once had the thought of Yugi's innocent eyes and how they couldn't be much bigger, but this younger image proved him wrong. The little boy looked down, "I's also losted my pwetty box. I weally wants it back."

Yami and the others caught up with Marik and froze seeing the small boy. "Mwister, pwease? Help me's find my daddy and pwetty box?"

Yami knelt down so that he was level with the tiny boy, "Hello, Little One."

"I's not wittle," the tiny boy pouted. "I's five and my name's Yugi. You's a strawnger."

Yami frowned at hearing this, but quickly came up with a plan, "Actually, Yugi, I'm your grandpa's friend. He asked me to come and take you to the park."

Marik approached Yugi, "We're all friends here."

Yugi wasn't buying this and kicked him in the shin before running behind Bakura for safety. "It looks like the runt has issues with Marik," he snickered. "OW!"

Yugi had kicked him as well, "I's not a wunt. Meanie-head!"

Yami was shocked. Yugi would never act up and hurt someone. But this was a younger Yugi and he was probably a typical five-year-old back before his accident. Then he remembered that Yugi had a problem with his height and was a bit defensive when people mentioned it. "Yugi, how long have you been in here?"

"I's don't knows. I's got wonely and founds a person to talks to and he saids he was going to make evewything better," the little boy replied. "He gaves me a key and said that there was a pwetty box hidins from me and all I's gotta do is find it. But I's losted the key." He sniffled before looking up at Yami, "I's lookin fors my daddy. Has you seed him? He pwomised to take me's for ice crewm. But he's goned now."

Yami sighed knowing that this was going to take a while, "Why don't you come with us and we'll look for your daddy and our missing friend."

Chibi Yugi nodded and motioned to Yami to pick him up. He lifted the small boy up and was surprised at how light he was.

* * *

><p>After a while, Yami looked down at the small bundle in his arms and noticed a red line across Yugi's forehead and laid the sleeping boy on the ground to get a better look. There was a shallow cut just in his hairline and a few more smaller cuts on his cheeks. There were also the beginnings of a large bruise on the small boy's face and a bloodstain on his shoulder. Chibi Yugi cracked open his eyes, "Daddy gone, I knows now." After saying this, the little boy slowly vanished.<p>

* * *

><p>After the image vanished and they continued down the corridor, Bakura noticed that they were near the center of the maze. "What makes you think that," Marik snapped.<p>

Marik had already seen the two figures that appeared in front of them just as they found the center of the maze. "If you are here to harm the young master, do not linger but turn around and return the way you came," the taller figure warned as they became solid.

The group immediately recognized them as the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. Yami stepped forward, "We are not here to harm him. We came to save him."

"How can we be so sure of that? You bring the three that have meant harm to the young master," Dark Magician Girl scoffed. "You, yourself, have allowed harm to come to him as of late. How, now, can you day that you do not mean him harm?"

"Mana, hold your tongue girl. This is the Pharaoh that you are addressing," Dark Magician scolded.

Yami looked down, "She is right, Mahaad. Through my selfish endeavors, I have ignored Yugi and allowed him harm. But believe me when I say that the two behind me are here to help Yugi."

Mahaad looked at Mana and they stepped aside, allowing the group passage into the room. Yami's eyes searched the room before landing on a figure draped with a green cape. He hurried over to see what it was. "Celtic Guardian felt that it was not proper to leave him without a cover," Mana explained. "It kept him from burning."

Yami noticed the burns on the arms and bare feet of the covered figure. He felt tears come, unbidden, to his eyes as he removed the cape. Yugi was lying on his side, unconscious. He had blackened markings on his face and shoulders. "His back is far worse," Mahaad pointed out. "That is why he is on his side. Mystical Elf said that she couldn't do much to help him until you came looking for him."

Mana continued, "She said that she could not heal what is not there. Mysti said that the young master had come in contact with Doma the Angel of Silence. Doma gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. He offered to take away all his pain and suffering. The young master had turned it down at first. But after he lay in that alley, he gave in. He did exactly what he said he'd do, but…" Mana broke down crying just then.

"Doma took more than just the pain that the little master was going through. He stole his memories and any real emotions," Mahaad continued. "We failed him and you, my Pharaoh."

"It is not you that failed Yugi, but me. Had I been there for him as a brother should, none of this would have happened," Yami replied.

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: You put in a chibi me?<strong>

**Yuppers. I figured that there would be some part of you that was looking for your dad even if you didn't remember him.**

**Yami: Why'd he get hurt when he was only in my arms?**

**Remember Solomon saying that Yugi and his father were in a car accident? The cuts and bruises were from said accident. Besides it was a repressed memory.**

**Yugi: So why add Doma?**

**Because I needed something to be the real reason behind most of your problems and Doma was the easiest to blame.**

**Yami: So Doma is the one that did this to Yugi? He'll pay.**

**Yami, you are as much to blame as he is. Had you not abandoned Yugi, he never would have been injured and therefore wouldn't have accepted this offer.**

**Malik: Until next time…**


	27. Chapter 27

**BAKURA YOU VEXATIOUS IRRITANT! YOU IMMATURE, IRRITATING PEST! GIVE ME BACK MY PENCIL!**

**Ryou: What's the matter PhantomBrat?**

**Bakura stole my pencil and refuses to return it.**

**Bakura: She's using very strange words and she's supposed to be doing some strange math. *Steals PhantomBrat's Algebra work.* How can you understand this garbage?  
><strong>

**It's called paying attention in class, dimwit. Now give me that. *Snatches homework and pencil back* And as for the 'strange words', I prefer to not stoop to your level and ruin a perfect record.  
><strong>

**Yugi: She's right you know. PhantomBrat-Keeping her language clean and confusing people with uncommon words since 1991.**

**Thank you, Yugi. You're a pal...Bakura, you're a pessimistic, ignorant, immature butthead...  
><strong>

**Joey: *Laughs at PhantomBrat's comment*  
><strong>

**Seto: *Face twitching in an effort not to smile*  
><strong>

**Yami: I don't know how you got that to sound intelligent and make it funny at the same time.**

**I have my ways.**

**Yugi: Since PhantomBrat's here, she's updating 'Broken'. **

**Ryou: We hope you enjoy chapter 27.**

* * *

><p>Yami carefully lifted Yugi up from the floor, "We should get him to his Soul-Room."<p>

"We know a shortcut," Mana suggested. "It should lead you to your Soul-Room and that's across from the little master's Room."

The two spellcasters led the group to the shortcut and gave them directions. Bakura and Marik led the way while Yami carried Yugi with not far behind them. They made their way through the secret passage and into Yami's Soul-Room. "Pegasus, I need you to open the door to Yugi's room, Marik you get the door to this room. Bakura, get Yugi's bed ready and clear the pathway," Yami ordered. "I need to get him into his Room as of five minutes ago."

They finally got Yugi into his Soul-Room and into the bed. Yami turned and saw the younger version of Yugi. It, no he, still looked like he had been severely hurt. As he watched the injured boy, his appearance changed and healed. This newer vision looked to be around six or seven. "I won't remember, will I," he asked Yami.

Yami shook his head, "I don't know Little One, I don't know."

"I don't remember my Daddy, and Mommy's gone too," he said while rebuilding a shattered tower. "Grandpa is the only one that cares about me; I have no friends to talk to because nobody wants to hang out with a weakling that plays games all the time. Mommy hardly calls anymore. She forgot my birthdays and Christmas. I'm always forgotten by her and the teachers at school." 'Yugi' knocked down the half-finished tower and collapsed crying. "I can forget them just easily as I was forgotten by them."

Yami, Bakura, and Marik watched as the image grew again, this time into the Yugi they knew. This one completely ignored them. Yami looked around the Room and saw that there was a ghostly image of the Room before it had been destroyed.

'_Yugi' got up from the bed and walked over to the door. He closed the door and sat on the floor, looking at the toys and games that littered the area. Yugi reached for a toy and looked at it. It was a Dark Magician doll. He just sat there staring at it for a few minutes before screaming and throwing it at a pile of blocks. The blocks scattered everywhere. Yugi grabbed the next closest thing and threw it at the remaining blocks._

_He collapsed against a wall in tears after his brief fit. He was hurting and nobody was around to see it._

The three yamis were shocked that Yugi was the one that trashed his Room. Yami watched as Yugi's past self got up and left the Soul-Room.

Shadi returned and led them from the confines of the Puzzle and back into the 'real' world. Bakura chanced a glance over at the large hospital bed holding the small hikari. Marik noticed this and nudged Yami over to the bedside. Everyone else left the room.

Yami fell into the chair and held his brother's hand, "Yugi, please don't give up. Think about Grandpa and how he's going to miss you. Everyone would miss you if you gave in to this."

There was no response from the frail form in the bed. Solomon came in and saw Yami next to Yugi's bedside. He sat next to him, "Did I tell you that Zoë had a sister? She would have been your Aunt Crys."

"Does Yugi know about her," Yami asked.

Solomon shook his head, "No. She and Zoë hardly kept in touch. I did find out that she was married and had two sons. She passed bringing her youngest into the world. Her husband was killed in a car accident three years later. I never found out what happened to her boys."

"You practically described everything that happened to me and Seto," Mokuba said as he entered the room. "I couldn't help but overhear what you said, sorry."

Solomon nodded, "What was your mother's name?"

"Well my birth certificate says that my mother's name was Crystalline," he replied.

Solomon smiled, "Then that means that you and your brother might be Yugi's long-lost cousins."

* * *

><p>It had gotten late and most everyone had gone to bed. Jonah Campbell had arrived to check on Yugi and adjusted the IVs and informed the aide that Seto had hired to check on the boy at regular intervals.<p>

Yami had elected to watch over Yugi while everyone got some sleep. He couldn't help but smirk at Seto's reaction when he found out that he was truly Yugi's cousin. "Yugi, you missed some crazy stuff today. Seto practically fainted when Mokuba said that they might be related to you. When he looked into the matter, he wound up spilling his coffee. I wish you were awake to see what was going on," Yami sighed. The steady hum and beeping of the machines was his only reply.

Yami continued, "Now Seto has greater reason for fighting to keep you alive. Plus Mokuba's giving him a hard time about his trying to kill you during the Death-T games and the incident as Duelist Kingdom."

* * *

><p>Yami had fallen asleep while talking to Yugi hours ago. He was startled awake when something hit him in the head. He looked up and saw Yugi's hand was in a different position than when he had been awake. While Yami was staring at this, he felt another hit, this time on his arm. He looked over and saw that Yugi's foot had moved.<p>

Yami dashed out of the room to find someone to spread the news that Yugi had moved. He crashed into Tristan, "I think Yugi's waking up."

"I'll go tell the others after I use the bathroom," Tristan snapped, not really being a morning person. Then realization dawned on him, "Forget the bathroom, I'll tell them right now."

Yami nodded and headed back into the room. It had been two weeks since Yugi fell into a coma.

Yugi's POV

'_Where am I? How did I get here? I feel another presence and can't remember who it is. I heard voices but can't figure out what they're saying. One of them sounds excited, but the other is moody. The moody voice changed and now I hear footsteps. That feeling is back._

_I feel a slight pressure on my hand, like someone's holding it. I hear a voice asking me to open my eyes. I want to but it's so hard and it's too bright. The voice asks if I can just squeeze its hand to let them know that I'm awake._

_It's so hard to move, but I try. I can only gather enough strength to move my fingertips. It seems that even that pleases the voice. I'm so tired, but I am even more tired of the darkness I am trapped in. But for now, I can't seem to be able to open my eyes. I'll just listen to things for now and wait for the brightness to fade a bit before trying._

* * *

><p>Yami had asked Yugi to squeeze his hand, but only got a slight twitch of the smaller boy's fingertips. He brightens at this. At this time everyone rushes into the room to see how Yugi is doing.<p>

Jonah Campbell walks in and asks everyone but Yami, Seto, and Solomon leave the room. He dims the overhead lights and elevates the head of Yugi's bed to check him out. "His temperature's normal as is his blood pressure…"

Yami couldn't wait, "So why can't he open his eyes?"

"There are a number of possibilities," Dr. Campbell began. "For one, he likely hasn't the strength to open them. He could still be tired or it could be that the light was simply too bright."

Just as he said this Yugi's eyes opened halfway. Solomon noticed this, "Hello, Yugi."

Yami turned to look at his Light, "Yugi."

"It's about time you woke up," Seto scoffed. "You had everyone worrying about you."

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: I finally wake up! <strong>

**Yami: Finally. It's about time that she got around to the best part of the story.**

***Pouts and turns to leave to resume math*  
><strong>

**Yugi: Yami, you hurt PhantomBrat's feelings.**

**Yami: But she allowed you pain and left many readers/reviewers hanging for so long. *Notices that PhantomBrat has finger over delete button* SORRY!SORRY!SORRY! Please don't delete this chapter and rewrite it or remove the story. I didn't mean it, I swear!**

***Nods and removes fingers from the backspace button***

**Yami: Aren't you going to say anything?**

***Shakes head***

**Yugi: You really hurt her feelings Yami. She might have forgiven you by the next chapter though. Just give PhantomBrat some time and we'll see.**

***Nods***

**Malik: Please be patient while she edits the next chapter and works on homework.**

***Waves to all readers***

**Ryou: Until next time...**


	28. Chapter 28

**I can't wait!**

**Bakura: What are you all excited about?**

**Halloween, Baka-Ra.**

**Yugi: So what are you going to be doing?**

**Passing out candy and dressing up.**

**Ryou: So what were you last year?**

**A half-vampire and the next day since my work did this for two days straight because of a misunderstanding, a half-vampire hippie. Day One I carried around Scruffles, my killer stuffed dog.**

**Bakura: What's deadly about a stuffed toy?**

**He likes to stare people to death.**

**Yugi: So what are you planning to do, PhantomBrat?**

**That's going to be a secret, but it all depends on whether I can get something that's vital to my costume. If I can, then I'll say, but either way I still have most of the pieces in my wardrobe. The last two things will have to be bought though.**

**Yugi: I can't wait to see what you come up with.**

**Me too. I'm going to have to refurbish one of the pieces as it was broken before I decided who I was going to model my Halloween costume after.**

**Bakura: What ever it is, it can't be any worse than that ridiculous half-vampire idea. Wherever did you get such a lame idea?**

***Smiles, revealing teeth* It could be because I bit someone for sitting on me, cutting off my air supply, and he called me a half-vampire freak. Or because I am seriously into the vampire books-movies thing. Or because I had a strange method to open those little juice bottles with the foil. There are a few more reasons, but I'll let you decide. Besides, I had no other ideas for the last two years and felt that this was a great idea.**

**Yugi: For our loyal reviewers; **_**Thank you for reading and reviewing. And most importantly, Thank you for your patience.**_

**Ryou: Enjoy this latest chapter.**

* * *

><p>Yugi's tired eyes looked at Seto as the bed was elevated a bit to allow Yugi to sit up. Once the bed stopped rising, Yugi looked at everyone in the room in curiosity. The hired nurse entered the room, "Everyone clear out. I need to get him cleaned up."<p>

"Yami has to stay," Seto ordered. "I don't want him relapsing."

Then nurse scowled but nodded, "Alright."

Everyone but Yami left the room. He watched as she carefully removed the blanket and Yugi's shirt. Yami winced as he saw the scars on Yugi's side and chest and how thin the small teen had gotten. He felt awful seeing Yugi's ribs and knowing that they had, at one time or another, been broken. The bathing process looked like it was taking a lot out of Yugi and that it was painful for the frail teen. Yami was at a loss as to why his Light wasn't crying out in pain, and then he realized that Yugi had passed out as the nurse got to his back.

Yugi's back was not spared the scarring that his chest and sides received. _'I am so sorry, Yugi. Had I been the brother and yami I was supposed to be, none of this would have happened. I hope to Ra that you recover and return to us as you were before we forgot about you."_

Yami stayed in the room after the nurse had left. Yami sat next to Yugi's bedside, "School starts in a week and a half. Grandpa went to register us for our classes a week ago. We weren't prepared for the news that the secretary and the dean had to tell us."

_***Flashback***_

"_I'm here to register my grandsons for their senior year of school," Grandpa told the secretary._

_She turned to the filing cabinet, "Names please."_

"_Yami and Yugi Mutou," he replied. Yami watched as she pulled out two files. "Yugi will be starting later as he is very ill at the moment."_

"_No need to worry about Yugi," a new voice stated. It turned out to be the dean of the school, "He's done most of the assignments through part of the second semester in advance."_

_Yami was shocked, "When did Yugi manage this?"_

"_He had so much free time and had asked for assignments in advance. After a while, his teachers had to ask other instructors in the senior classes for assignments that they had earlier in the year. The work he turned in was graded and kept on file for his last year of school. He's done exceptionally well on the work. So there's no need to worry about him failing this year because of his ailment."_

_***End***_

* * *

><p>Yami had resigned to sleep on the floor of Yugi's makeshift room. Solomon had told him to get some rest if he wanted to help Yugi in his recovery.<p>

_**^*^*Yami's Dream*^*^**_

_**Yami opened his eyes and discovered that he was in a dark void. "Pharaoh, there is a way to help the little one," a voice stated as a figure came into focus. It was the Mystical Elf.**_

_**Yami was confused, "What can I do?"**_

"_**That box that you found in the maze of Yugi's own mind is the answer," she pointed out. "You are the one that can open it, for you are his other half."**_

"_**What's in the box?"**_

"_**Doma thought it to be worthwhile to seal what he had stolen from your Light within that box. The box is still in Yugi's Soul-Room. Just open it a crack and let his being free, memories and all. They will be released at a slow, but steady rate."**_

_**Yami nodded, "I understand."**_

"_**Just do NOT open it all the way, for you might overwhelm him. This might kill him before his time."**_

_**A blinding light flashed before Yami's eyes and dimmed to reveal that he was in Yugi's Soul-Room. He located the box and cracked the lid open as he had been instructed to do.**_

_**^*^*End of dream*^*^**_

Yami woke up as a tray was brought into the room. Vance sat the tray on a table, "The broth is for Yugi while the sandwich is for you."

"Thank you, Vance," Yami replied.

Vance nodded as he left the room. Yami checked on Yugi and noticed that he was awake and watching him. "I've got some broth for you, aibou. Are you hungry?"

He elevated the bed and used some of the extra pillows to prop him up. Yugi looked at the broth and then at Yami's lunch. Yami knew that Yugi had a mild dislike of soups and broth before, "I'm sorry, Yugi, but until the doctor says you are stuck on broths."

Yugi let out a faint sigh and allowed Yami to feed him the broth. A fourth of the way through the bowl, Yugi started drifting off. "Just a few more spoonfuls, Yugi," Yami coaxed.

The weak teen tried to stay awake, but fell asleep after swallowing two more spoonfuls of the broth. Yami sighed as he set the bowl down and started on his own lunch.

Jonah entered the room and saw that some of the broth was gone. This was a bit more than he had expected a teen in his condition to eat. He wrote this in the chart that was faxed to his office daily.

* * *

><p>Later that same day, Yugi woke up from his 'nap' and saw someone asleep in one of the chairs. He felt hungry. He tried speaking but couldn't get a sound out. That was when he realized that the other person's hand was near his own. Yugi gathered just enough energy to move his hand and touch the other's. Yami jerked awake at the light touch. He then realized that Yugi was awake again. "Are you hungry?"<p>

Yugi tried to nod in response. Yami nodded and paged the cook, asking for some more broth. They didn't have long to wait. Solomon brought the broth and another sandwich up for the boys. He told Yami to eat while he tried to feed Yugi. Yugi finished half the bowl before he refused any more. Solomon readjusted the bed and turned the television on for the boys to watch before leaving the room.

Yami was getting bored, but knew that Yugi couldn't be left alone so he called Marik and Bakura on their cell phones. They came into the room and sat down to challenge each other to a three-way Duel. Yugi watched them in silence.

* * *

><p><em>Yugi's POV<em>

_I wonder who they are. Why hasn't that boy left my room since I woke up? Huh, for some strange reason, I feel better. A little stronger. Does it have something to do with those two that entered my room to play a card game with the boy that refuses to leave my room?_

_I hope that I can have something other than soup soon. Watching that boy eat real food is torturing me to no end. _

* * *

><p>Yami kept an eye on Yugi while the three darks played Duel Monsters. He noticed that Yugi was trying to move a bit. He sat his cards down and went over to Yugi's bed. "Are you uncomfortable?"<p>

Yugi gave him a faint nod before yawning. Yami smiled, "I think it's time for bed, aibou."

Yugi yawned again as Yami adjusted the bed for the night. Marik and Bakura were watching the scene before them. They collected their cards and crept from the room in silence.

* * *

><p><strong>PhantomBrat, What's that strange smell?<strong>

**Too much math. I think my brain's fried.**

**Bakura: School's deadly.**

**Only if it falls on you.**

**Bakura: If you could come up with some response like that in under 10 seconds, then your brain's not fried.**

**Thank you mister know-it-all.**

**Joey: Until next time…**

**Thank you Joey. This is PhantomBrat signing out to go work on another chapter for Hunted, A Day Of Loss, A Day Of New Beginnings, Wilderness, and whatever other Yu-Gi-Oh story I have out or in the works.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Ryou: PhantomBrat left me a message to pass on to those who read 'Broken'. Here it is;**

**To My Loyal Readers/Reviewers: I am very disappointed in an anonymous review (that no longer exists) that I have banned ALL such reviews. Sorry to those who do not have a FF account and that truly enjoy this story. I didn't appreciate the review and found it to be rather degrading.**

**Signed,  
>PhantomBrat<strong>

**Yugi: I was informed that this chapter is dedicated to Redglowingheart for standing up for PhantomBrat and for being a great reviewer.**

**I didn't mind the rant but found it to be rather inspiring. Thanks for being a loyal reader and an awesome reviewer.**

* * *

><p>Ryou and Malik entered Yugi's room that morning with some broth and a plate of eggs and pancakes. Malik nudged Yami awake and set the plate on the table next to him. Yugi was awake and staring at the two boys. Malik elevated the bed and helped Ryou prop him up with the pillows. "Morning Yugi," Malik greeted. "Felling better?"<p>

Yugi nodded in response. Just before Ryou could start giving Yugi the broth, Seto entered the room with a laptop under his arm. "I brought something for Yugi to keep him occupied."

Malik and Ryou hadn't heard the news, so they were shocked about his change of heart. "I thought that your old laptops were off-limits to anyone but family," Malik pointed out.

"They are," Seto scowled. "And Yugi is family, on our mother's side."

"That would make him a cousin," Ryou managed to get out.

Seto placed the laptop on an empty chair, "He is. Make sure that you clean that tray up before you give him the laptop. This is his now. Yami, you and Yugi can share this laptop."

After Seto left, Ryou gave Yugi his broth while Yami ate his breakfast. He managed to finish a little over half the bowl before refusing more. Malik cleaned off the tray and set the laptop up for Yugi. They decided to play Yugi's favorite movies for him on the computer. Yami watched them with him.

* * *

><p>Dr. Jonah Campbell entered the room with his usual clipboard, but this time he had a heavy object in the right pocket of his coat. After he checked Yugi over, he pulled it out. The object turned out to be a liquid medicine. Yugi saw this and made a face. Yami couldn't help but chuckle at this reaction.<p>

Jonah noted the look on Yugi's face, "This is to help your throat. I noticed that it's a bit red and swollen. I'm also going to give you liquid vitamins since you're only getting minimal amounts through the broth."

Yugi pouted when he heard this. He really hated liquid medicine, but the mention of broth made him pout every time. "You can start on soft foods just as soon as that throat issue clears up," Dr. Campbell told Yugi. "But nothing too heavy. We'll see how things go from there. Until then, you can have slightly thicker soups.

After getting Yugi to swallow the medicine and the liquid vitamins, Jonah told Yami that Yugi needed to take the medicine twice a day and the vitamins just once a day. He also left written instructions and the list of things to watch for. As Jonah left another person entered the room.

"I'm the physical therapist that Mr. Kaiba hired. I'm Marcy Sanders," the newcomer stated. "Is this the patient?"

Yami nodded, "Yugi's just taken some new medicine. And the IVs and stuff was removed just this morning."

"I'll just start with the basic introductory session," Marcy stated. "There's no need to work with him on the first few days. I just need to observe him to get an idea on how to approach things."

* * *

><p>After watching Yugi and taking notes, Marcy left for the day, promising to return in two days to begin Yugi's therapy. Yugi had fallen asleep, leaving Yami watching him in silence.<p>

* * *

><p>Solomon, despite knowing that she'd probably find some excuse to avoid coming home to see him, decided to call Yugi' mother.<p>

"_Zoë, I have some bad news for you."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Yugi's been sick a lot lately."_

"_So give him some medicine and keep him in bed."_

He sighed in frustration, _"It's far worse than that Zoë. He wound up in the hospital and was in a coma for a while. Seto took care of him, but Yugi's condition got worse after he woke up. He went into another coma, but he's awake now."_

"_Well, if he's awake, then why call me?"_

"_Zoë, Yugi's your son."_

"_My husband died that night and I couldn't stand the thought of loosing my baby. I can't even look at him without remembering Jamie. I had to get away from the memories that are there."_

"_You, as his mother should be concerned that her child nearly died twice in the same year!"_

"_Listen, Dad, I've got to go. The ship's leaving and I need to get the main course started for dinner."_

"_Just think about coming home to see your sons."_

"_Bye Dad."_

Solomon sighed in defeat as his daughter-in-law hung up on him. He headed upstairs to check on Yugi and Yami. He felt bad that Yami had been cooped up in that room. Bakura had noticed that every time Yami was away from Yugi for more than a few minutes, Yugi had a slight relapse in his progress. This was usually a slight fever, but they didn't want to chance it.

Yugi was awake while Yami was sleeping with his head on the edge of Yugi's bed. Yugi was staring at him. As Solomon neared the bed, he noticed that Yugi was poking at the tips of Yami's hair. He couldn't help but smile at this, "I don't think your brother's going to wake up that way, Yugi. Yami's a heavy sleeper."

Yugi looked away from his current activity and had a faint smile on his face. "Are you hungry?" Yugi nodded.

"I'll be right back," Solomon stated as he fixed the blankets on the bed. He noticed that Yugi was pouting. "Sorry, my boy, but until Dr. Campbell says otherwise, it's going to be broth. And it's time for your medicine." Yugi made a face at the mention of the medicine.

Solomon returned to the room and saw that Yugi had taken to trying to grab Yami's hair with his fingertips. "Yugi, please stop trying to pull your brother's hair," Solomon sighed. He heard a light chuckle and realized that Yami was awake. "Yami, I know that you're awake. Stop encouraging Yugi to poke you or mess with your hair."

Yami sat up, "It's actually getting him to move a little on his own, Grandpa."

"Alright, but make sure that it's something that won't wear him out too much," he replied.

Yami grabbed the bowl with Yugi's soup, "Does she know about Yugi?"

Knowing who Yami was talking about, Solomon shook his head, "I did, but she didn't say much about coming home for a visit."

"Why can't she see that Yugi needs her," Yami muttered as he tried to get Yugi to eat.

* * *

><p><strong>Yami: So what's got you all excited?<strong>

**I got the critical pieces for my Halloween costume and now I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to make something from scratch with the art supplies I already own to complete it. Or if I just want to leave it out.**

**Yugi: So what did you get that you really wanted?**

**Yellow and purple hairspray, the temporary stuff. I really don't want to ruin my natural reddish-brownish-black hair.**

**Yami: What are you going to do with colored hairspray?**

***singsong voice* I'm not gonna tell you. I'm gonna make everyone guess.**

**Marik: I think I have an idea.**

**You spill and…uh, I'll refuse to use your starter deck the next time I Duel one of my friends.**

**Marik: Not fair! **

**Sure it is. Now go bug someone else.**

**Bakura: I swear you have a yami somewhere.**

**I highly doubt it. If I did, then she's not here. Besides, that would take all the fun out of picking on you.**

**Bakura: Then YOU must be the Dark!**

**Nope. I'm just me, sweet little ol' PhantomBrat.**

**Bakura: I swear you don't play well with others.**

**Wrong Dusty Farts, I don't play well with mirrors. They always break and I hate 'em. They only show you what others see on the surface and not your TRUE self. **_**MIRRORS ARE LIARS!**_

**Yugi: While PhantomBrat is trying to 'educate' Bakura on her viewpoint of mirrors, we hope you enjoyed this latest chapter.**

**Joey: Until next time… **


	30. Chapter 30

**Wow, only one person came even close to figuring out who I'm going as for Halloween. Congrats to Ms. Take the Third.**

**Yugi: So who are you going as?**

**You, but a girl-version. I have just one problem though.**

**Bakura: *singsong* Yugi's a girl. **Yugi's a girl**. **

**Yami: I dare you to say that one more time.**

***Tapes Bakura's mouth shut* You touch that tape and your deck suffers the wrath of Yami.**

**Joey: So what's the problem that you have?**

**My hair's long and I can't figure out how to do the yellow bangs!**

**Mokuba: I think that 'Kura's right.**

**'Bout what?**

**Mokuba: You must have a yami somewhere.**

**Well, if I do then she's hiding somewhere.**

**Yugi: Hey, Ryou, Malik! Let's go hunt down PhantomBrat's yami!**

**Ryou: OK! By the way, thank you to all our wonderful reviewers!**

**Malik: Woohoo it's a yami hunt!**

***facepalms* I'd better go help the others just in case they DO manage to somehow find my 'yami'.**

**Mokuba: Until next time...  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Today was Yugi's first day of therapy, and Yami was trying to get Yugi to finish his broth. Jonah showed up to make sure that the therapist didn't overdo it with his patient. He saw the scene of one brother trying to get the other to eat. He noted that Yugi wanted his brother's food instead of the soup. Jonah couldn't help but laugh, "I think it's time to try something out."<p>

He called the kitchen to see if they could bring up some mashed carrots and applesauce. Mokuba arrived with the tray within ten minutes, "I wanted to help. Here's the stuff you asked for."

Yugi caught sight of the food and smiled. Sure it wasn't 'real' food, but anything was better than broth in his book. "Now, Yugi," Jonah started. "You're going to have to take your medicine before you can have this."

Yugi pouted, but nodded. He swallowed the medicine and the liquid vitamins. "So why can't he speak yet," Yami asked the doctor.

"It's likely that the breathing tube caused some damage to his vocal cords, or he's had some other trauma to his throat that we couldn't see," he explained. "When he was brought in, there was some light bruising around his neck, but aside from the other injuries, he wasn't touched. Now go ahead and see if your brother can handle semi-solid foods."

Yugi didn't much care for mashed carrots, but Yami wouldn't let him have the applesauce until he had a few spoonfuls. Yami was surprised that Yugi had finished the small bowl of applesauce. "I know a least nine people that are going to be happy to hear this," Yami announced after the bowl was empty.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Marcy arrived to begin Yugi's therapy. "What's everyone excited about," she asked after entering Yugi's room.<p>

Yami looked at her, "Yugi finally finished a meal. So what's with the water-wings and life jacket? "

"We're going to use Mr. Kaiba's hot tub and pool as part of your brother's therapy sessions," she explained. "Now get him ready and we'll take him down."

Yugi was ready within a few minutes. Yami had gotten himself pool-ready since Yugi couldn't be away from him for very long. Joey came in to help. He lifted Yugi from the bed and was shocked to find out that his little pal was lighter than he had been just months prior to his disappearance, but he was slowly gaining it back. Not saying much about Yugi's weight loss, Joey carried him downstairs and into the pool area. "Please help me get the water-wings and life jacket on him before we put him in the water," Marcy asked the two boys. "I see that you are eager to help Yugi in his recovery, Yami."

Yami nodded as he helped get Yugi ready for his first session. "So what are we doing first," he asked.

"I just want to get him used to the temperature of the water first," Marcy replied. "Since he's not walked or moved much during the past month, we need to take things slow and easy."

They held Yugi as they stepped into the hot tub. As he touched the warm water, Yugi let out a sigh of contentment. _*So warm. Thank you.*_

Yami nearly dropped Yugi in shock. His Light had just opened their link. He decided to test something out.

_**Yugi?**_

_*Hmm? Who said that?*_

_**I did, aibou. I'm helping the therapist help you get your strength back.**_

Yugi looked up at Yami.

_*Oh, ok.*_

Yugi smiled at Yami.

_*So what happened to me?*_

_**You got sick and Seto took care of you for a while.**_

_*Oh. I'm sorry if I scared you.*_

_**I'm just glad that you're still here and that you're getting better.*_

Marcy interrupted their 'conversation', "Alright, we can begin with the session. Just take it slow and easy."

* * *

><p>The therapy session flew by and Marcy Sanders was quite pleased at Yugi's first day. "If your friend keeps showing this much enthusiasm in the sessions, he should be able to walk within a few weeks," she told Seto as she headed towards the door. "I'll be back in two days. I left instructions for a few exercises that he can do, but make sure that someone is there to help him."<p>

After she left, Seto went to check on Yugi. He found the young Duelist wrapped in a towel, lying in the sun in the screened-in pool area. Yugi had fallen asleep in the warm sunlight while Yami found a place for the floatation devices.

Seto called Joey outside to carry Yugi back to his room. Yami followed them back.

* * *

><p><strong>The next day…<strong>

Seto entered the dining room, clearly upset about something. He threw that morning's paper on the table, "It seems that we've been found out."

The front page headline read, **'What is Wrong With the 'King of Games?'**. Beneath the bold print were a few pictures of Yugi. One was apparently taken while he was asleep after his therapy session and Joey was carrying him, and the other was him sleeping in the makeshift hospital room.

_Yugi Mutou has been missing from the gaming circle for several months. An anonymous source said that the young Duelist had been in the hospital following a brutal attack that nearly killed him. He mentioned that a certain CEO of a local gaming company had taken a certain interest in the health of the young teen. _

_After his release, Yugi vanished from sight. Our source stated that just recently a Dr. Jonah Campbell had been hired as a private physician and had been given less time at the hospital during the period of this employment._

_According to recent photos that were dropped off at the DominoPress, it seems that the King of Games isn't doing too well. Could he be dying of a terminal illness? Or is there something else going on?_

"I'm going to have to hold a press conference to clear things up," Seto growled. "But first I'm going to find out who this source is."

Bakura glared at the paper, "If I had to guess, I'd say that it was that quack that tried to talk you into pulling the plug on the runt's life. He was pretty angry when you refused to allow him to talk you into killing the shrimp."

Seto's eyes narrowed, "Then a certain doctor is going to lose his job, license, and reputation."

* * *

><p><strong>Seto: Where's my brother?<strong>

**Yami: Wherever our hikaris managed to drag PhantomBrat.**

**Seto: PhantomBrat better not let Mokuba get hurt.**

**Yami: You do know that she's set this to record us in the event we do something idiotically stupid. Don't you?**

**Marik: *runs past with a fire extinguisher* HELP! I JUST FROZE THE FIRE AND CAN'T GET IT STARTED!**

**Seto: *rolls eyes* I'm surrounded by morons.**

**Joey: Not really. Have you heard that just watching SBSP causes people's intelligence to drop? At least you're not hanging around them.**

**Seto: Then I'd be as unintelligent as you.**

***Appears and smacks Seto with 3-inch binder full of monster cards before vanishing again***

**Yami: I'd take it that you offended PhantomBrat.**

**Seto: You think?**

**Marik: I swear that that was PhantomBrat's yami. I saw purple highlights there. PhantomBrat's hair is reddish-brownish-black remember? No purple.**

**Yami: Unless she sticks that one extension in her hair.**

**Marik: This one had at least four purple streaks.**

**Yami: While we try to figure this mystery out...**

**Bakura: Mmumm mmmm...mmm...**

**Marik: Not taking off the tape...I learned my lesson...**

**Yami: Until next time...PUT A SOCK IN IT THIEF!  
><strong>


	31. Chapter 31

***Spotted by the yamis trying to sneak in***

**Yami: What happened to the 'Yami Hunt'?**

**Called on account of pain. *mutters* _I hate karma. _**

**Joey: So how'd your costume turn out for Halloween?**

**HORRIBLE! The hairspray can lied. The darn thing said that it was yellow, but it turned out to be green instead and the Puzzle printout was too small.**

**Yugi: There's always next year.**

**Yeah. Trying again sure beats being a half-vampire, or a half-vampire hippie for three-and-a-half Halloweens in a row.**

**Bakura: A what now? What in Ra's name is a half-vampire hippie?**

***Shrugs* It's a half-vampire that lives on chocolate and wears beaded tie-dye shirts. I think we went through this conversation once already.  
><strong>

**Yami: Weird. **

**Not as weird as me on an insanely low amount of sleep.**

**Bakura: What's so weird about that?**

**Let's just say that it's comparable to someone on a major sugar-high.**

**Mokuba: How was your Thanksgiving?**

**Good. Time with my parents, bored out of my mind…not to mention that karma stinks.**

**Yugi: Oh yeah! You lost the Internet.**

**Malik: Don't forget her wisdom teeth are killing her.**

**_WERE. _Just not at the moment right now.**

**Mokuba: And that was why nothing was uploaded.**

**Ryou: I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

**Malik: Thanks to all those wonderful reviewers!**

**Yugi: The Great Yami Hunt will continue as soon as she feels better.**

**Promise.**

* * *

><p>A couple of days after the article was printed, Seto met with his lawyer outside of the hospital that had taken care of Yugi. This particular lawyer had handled similar cases where a patient's privacy had been violated by hospital staff. "I appreciate your calling me to help handle this issue," he told Seto.<p>

"I wanted to get this done and over with, Mr. Tillman. I don't appreciate it when people set up camp at my home for any reason, especially to spy on those within," Seto replied.

Avery Tillman took his sunglasses off and looked at Seto, "I'm ready when you are, Mr. Kaiba."

They entered the hospital and headed to the ICU wing to locate a certain doctor and his supervisor. They spotted the supervisor, Lukas Whitman first. He had also seen Seto and his lawyer. Lukas handed the chart that he had to a nearby doctor, gave her instructions and headed their way. "Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Kaiba," he asked as he approached the pair.

"We're looking for a Brent Calhoun," Avery informed him.

Lukas groaned, "What's he done this time?"

"Have you read the paper about two days ago," Seto questioned the supervisor.

"I knew that there was something going on with him when he kept calling in sick," Lukas replied. "But we haven't seen much of him for the past week and a half. In fact, about two days before he vanished some supplies were found missing in the stockroom. We informed the police of this, but they can only do so much."

"That's all we needed," Avery said. "All we need is a detailed report of everything that Brent did while he worked here and his medical career is finished."

Lukas nodded, "I can give you that and a list of the complaints from patients and their families that he had."

* * *

><p>Brent had planned to kidnap the kid that caused the hospital to question his motives for wanting to be in the medical field. He was the one that stole the supplies. Brent decided to inform the paper about Yugi's condition and he had left the envelope of photos on said boy.<p>

He pushed his glasses up and resumed watching the recovering teen from the treeline bordering the estate.

* * *

><p>Yugi was propped up on the couch after the latest therapy session. He was exhausted, but proud of himself. He had managed to walk unaided to Yami while they were in the shallow end of the pool. Everyone was in a celebratory mood. "Now all you need is your voice back, Yug, and we'll all be happy," Joey pointed out.<p>

Yugi nodded. He wanted so badly to talk to everyone, but his throat was still a bit tender. He yawned and Yami saw this. "Are you alright, aibou?"

Yugi nodded and whispered very faintly, "Tired."

The noise in the room stopped and everyone looked at Yugi in amazement. Not taking note of this, Yugi yawned again. "Yami, could you use some help getting Yugi back to his room," Tristan asked.

Yami shook his head, "We should let him stay where he is. Yugi's already half-asleep and I don't want to wake him just to get him back to the room."

Solomon readjusted the pillows to allow Yugi to sleep comfortably and ushered everyone but Yami from the den.

* * *

><p>Seto arrived back two hours after Yugi's latest accomplishment. "What's got everyone so excited," he snapped. His search for Brent was going nowhere and he was in a foul mood because of it.<p>

He spotted Yugi sitting up on the couch. Yugi waved to him and whispered faintly, "Hi Seto."

"Don't strain what little voice you've discovered," Seto replied. "It won't do you any good to lose what you've just got back."

Yugi looked down, feeling bad. "But, it's good that you managed to find your voice," he amended after seeing his brother's scowl. "Did anyone call Dr. Campbell to tell him the news?"

"There was no need to. I arrived here a little over an hour ago," Jonah replied, stepping into the room. He sat a plate of cut hot dogs, diced carrots, and peas in front of Yugi, "I wanted to see if our young friend could handle some solid foods."

Yugi stared at the food in shock before looking at Jonah. He hadn't had 'real' food for a while. Yami smiled at his hikari, "It's alright, Yugi. I believe that this was what you wanted for a while now."

Yugi shook his head and faintly whispered, "Hamburger."

Everyone couldn't help but laugh. Poor Yugi just sat on the couch turning red from embarrassment. "Small steps, Yugi," Jonah cautioned. "If you jump straight to foods like that, you're likely to choke on them or upset your stomach."

Yugi nodded and ate the hot dogs and vegetables. But he still wanted that elusive burger. After he finished the small amount of food that was given to him, Ryou came out of the kitchen holding a small bowl. "I made this special for you," Ryou said as he sat a bowl of chocolate pudding in front of him. "I know that it's one of your favorites and that you haven't had any for a while." He turned to the others, "There's plenty more in the kitchen. It's already been served up. Just don't touch the pudding in the blue container. That's Yami and Yugi's."

Yugi smiled in thanks before taking his first bite. He savored every bite of the warm pudding.

* * *

><p>Joey carried Yugi to his new room. Seto had decided to have them move Yugi downstairs to prevent him from falling down the stairs by accident and to keep his stalker from taking more pictures to send to the papers.<p>

After getting him settled in, they let him rest from all the excitement. Yami sat in the chair next to Yugi's bed and sighed. Yugi turned his head to look at his yami and brother. Knowing that Yami wanted him to rest his voice, Yugi used their Link.

_*Yami, what's wrong?*_

"This is my entire fault," Yami stated. Yugi was confused, but let Yami continue. "Had I not let the excitement of a second life gain control, none of this would have happened. I'm the one to blame for everything that you've gone through. I'm surprised that Grandpa didn't get rid of me."

Yugi shook his head. _*Grandpa wouldn't throw you out. You're family and it's understandable that you wanted to learn about the modern world through your own eyes.*_

"That still doesn't excuse what I did to you," Yami stated. "I abandoned you and I shouldn't have. Your own Light was killing you for Ra's Sake! I left you alone and was oblivious to your needs."

_*But I'm alright now, Yami. Please don't cry.*_

Through tears, Yami shook his head and continued, "No, aibou, you're still recovering from everything that's happened within the last six months!"

_*But I'm getting better. When you're around me, it helps. Whatever you and the others did or didn't do, I forgive you.*_

"You can't just forgive something like that," Yami argued. "You barely even remember what we did."

Yugi turned away and didn't respond to Yami's last statement. His last words hurt far worse than the needles that Dr. Campbell used to test his blood or to give him medicines. A couple of tears slid from his eyes and onto his pillow.

Yami felt bad for snapping at Yugi, but he felt that he was undeserving of Yugi's forgiveness of recent events. Yugi had only remembered that Yami and the others were his friends and that was about it, everything else was a blank to him.

Thinking that Yugi was asleep, Yami decided to rest as well. He lay down on the bed that was set up for him and fell asleep.

Noting that Yami was sleeping, Yugi pushed himself into a sitting position, put the Puzzle on, and eased his feet onto the floor. He was determined to show Yami that he was forgiven even if he didn't want to accept it. Yugi used the table and chair as supports to get over to Yami's bed. When he ran out of furniture, Yugi eased himself to the floor using the chair and began crawling the rest of the way to his brother's bed. After pulling himself onto the bed, Yugi allowed himself a victorious smile before giving into his exhaustion. He fell asleep next to his brother, worn out from his little adventure.

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: So I finally find my voice in this chapter!<strong>

**Yami: You also showed how stubborn you can be.**

**Yugi: Aw, Yami. I just wanted to show you that you were forgiven. Besides, we're brothers in her story.**

**Yami: We're brothers in all PhantomBrat's stories.**

**Yugi: ^.^ Good point.**

**Yami: Until next time…**


	32. Chapter 32

***Pops in behind Bakura* MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

**Bakura: Can you scream it any louder? I can still hear.**

**I could but then nobody would know.**

**Yugi: So what did you get?**

**One Yu-Gi-Oh official Kaiba Duel mat, a tin of YGO cards, a purple blanket, and a day off.**

**Yugi: What was your favorite present?  
><strong>

***Grins* The purple blanket.  
><strong>

**Yami: So what are your plans for the day?**

**Homework...**

**Bakura: Don't you know the meaning of _Winter Break_?**

**It's called cramming five classes into one semester. I'll get done faster.**

**Ryou: So is there anything else that you've planned to do?**

**Do a major uploading of several stories' chapters. And maybe post a couple of new ones.**

**Yugi: Sounds fun!**

**Malik: Yugi! Ryou! PhantomBrat! Come on! We need to get going if we're to find that hidden yami of yours!**

* * *

><p>Yami woke up and saw that Yugi's bed was empty. He felt a light nudge in his side and noticed that Yugi was there, sleeping soundly with the Puzzle around his neck. Yami wondered how he managed to end up on the opposite side of the room. While he was trying to figure that out, Grandpa came in with two plates of food. "I thought I'd bring you boys some food," he said, setting the plates down.<p>

Yami sat up, "Grandpa, did anyone come in here a little while ago and move Yugi to my bed?"

"No, but Mokuba checked in on you two and said that Yugi was sleeping in your bed with you," Solomon replied. "I thought that he asked you to share the bed."

Yami shook his head, "He didn't. I'll be sure to ask him as soon as he wakes up." He and Solomon looked at the sleeping teen. Yugi looked so peaceful just lying there asleep. A few minutes after Solomon had entered the room, Yugi began to stir. Barely awake, Yugi opened his mouth to greet his grandfather. One look from Yami and he stopped. "I don't want you straining your voice," Yami stated. "Now, did someone help you get into my bed?"

Yugi shook his head and looked away, feeling awful. Yami continued, "How did you get over here?"

Yugi pointed over to the chair and table and then the floor. Solomon figured his message out, "So you used the table and chair for support and then you crawled over to Yami's bed?"

Yugi nodded. Yami was upset at this, "What were you thinking! You could have hurt yourself!"

Yugi turned away from Yami, feeling that this was the worst thing that he had ever done. Solomon noticed this, "Yami, calm down. Your reaction is making things worse than they already are. Yugi doesn't need you to get upset at him, he needs encouragement."

Yami looked at Yugi and instantly regretted what he said. He reached out to touch Yugi's shoulder, but Yugi pulled away not wanting any contact. "Aibou," Yami began.

Yugi shook his head. Solomon helped Yugi back to his own bed and got him settled back in. Yugi turned away from Yami and silently cried himself to sleep.

* * *

><p>Malik came in to collect the dishes and saw Yami sitting at the foot of his bed staring at the Puzzle that Yugi had left there. "I heard that Yugi made it to your bed unaided," she said, trying to start a conversation.<p>

Yami nodded, "He did, but he could have hurt himself in the process."

"He's getting better," Malik pointed out. Before he could say much more, a faint whimper cut through the silence.

Malik and Yami looked over at Yugi and saw that he was having a nightmare. At that moment, Ishizu entered the room. She noticed the situation, "Yami you may leave for a moment." Before Yami could protest, she added, "He will be fine without you in here for a few minutes."

Ishizu didn't have the heart to tell Yami that his darkness was being intensified by his anger and depression. She knew that this was what part of the reason Yugi was having a nightmare. The other part was the repressed memory of his beating the night he disappeared. She placed the Puzzle that Yami abandoned on his bed on the way out next to Yugi. When it was near him, he relaxed and fell into a quiet state.

She called Yami back into the room after five minutes. "Try to see things from his perspective, Yami," she advised the former pharaoh. "He is trying so hard to show to you that he is better than he was a few short weeks ago. He wants you to acknowledge his accomplishments, but not push him to slow his progress down."

Yami sighed, "He's still weak from fighting for his life, not once, but twice! He should be taking it easy instead of pushing himself."

"Yami, the more you chastise him, the more he will pull away," she cautioned. "I wanted you to know that you can spend some time outside of Yugi's room now. But in small, yet slowly increasing time spans. Any more than that would do him greater harm."

Yami watched as Ishizu left the room. He turned to Yugi and watched as he slept.

* * *

><p>Little did he know that someone else was watching Yugi sleep. 'As soon as that kid is alone and outside, I'm going to make my move,' Brent thought to himself.<p>

He planned to kidnap Yugi and hold him for ransom. After discovering who his former patient was, he was determined to get some decent cash for the King of Games' safe return. That was once he kidnapped the teen.

He had been watching as they moved the boy from the third-story bedroom to the ground-level room just in front of an easier vantage point. But after they had him settled, someone closed the blinds and left them closed. It was his luck that someone had opened them today.

* * *

><p>Yugi woke up after his nap and saw Yami sitting on his own bed. Yami noticed that he was awake, "Yugi…" Said teen looked away with pain evident in his amethyst eyes. Yami sighed and continued, "Yugi, I wanted to say I'm sorry. I just don't want you to push yourself to the point where you hurt yourself."<p>

Yami paused and waited for Yugi to look at him. Not gaining his attention, he continued, "I shouldn't have gotten upset, aibou. I should have been happy that you managed to do something on your own for the first time in weeks. Yugi, please look at me."

Yugi sniffled and turned to look at him. Yami's heart about broke and the sadness reflected in Yugi's eyes. He hugged his brother and didn't let go until Yugi started squirming.

_*Too tight, Yami. Can't breathe.*_

Yami released his arms and looked at Yugi again, "Promise me that you won't do something like that again without someone watching you."

Yugi nodded and whispered, "Promise."

* * *

><p>Joey and Mokuba brought Yami's homework up when they got home. "I was asked to bring you your homework, Yami," Joey said as he handed a packet to him. He looked at Yugi who was holding his hands out for his work, "Sorry pal. Your teachers didn't have any for you, which is strange seein' as how you and Yami have the same teachers. They just said to take it easy."<p>

Yugi sighed just as Yami did. "I can't believe that they gave this out when it's only the first day of school," Joey complained as Yami looked through his assignments. "Yug's the lucky one. I envy you pal."

Yugi looked confused. "Why," he asked in a faint whisper.

"All the teachers took it easy on you," Joey pointed out. "All you have to do is rest and skip school. You don't even have homework! I always get homework to do when I'm sick in bed!"

Yugi grinned as realization set in. He whispered, "Did most of it last year."

Joey hadn't heard Yugi's reply, but Yami did. He relayed the message, "Yugi did most of the assignments for this year last year. The secretary informed us that the work had been graded and kept on file for the teachers to hold on to until school started. She said that the only thing he had to worry about was getting better."

Yugi watched Joey's reaction and tried not to laugh. "That isn't fair," Joey cried out.

Ryou entered the room to see what was going on. After Yami filled him in, Ryou explained why Yugi's work was done beforehand. "After you guys started hanging out all the time, Yugi had nothing to do," Ryou began. "He had started asking for homework in advance just to keep him busy. After a while, our teachers started asking the instructors from the next grade up for their assignments from the beginning of the school year. This kept Yugi's mind off of being left alone by you guys."

Joey stopped his little fit and looked at his friend, "I'm so sorry Yugi. I didn't know."

"As am I," Yami added.

"It's ok," Yugi whispered. "I forgive you."

'But you shouldn't have been put through that," Joey argued. "If we hadn't have gone off and left you alone, none of this would have happened!"

Solomon entered the room, "Yugi needs to eat and I'm pretty sure that there are three young men that have some homework that needs done."

* * *

><p><strong>Yami: So what do we do?<strong>

**Bakura: Raid PhantomBrat's binders of her high-powered fiend monsters?**

***Appears and holds up a plushie***

**Bakura: NOT THAT! ANYTHING BUT _BARNEY! _ HAVE MERCY!**

***Vanishes***

**Marik: OMR! I swear that was the yami that the hikaris are hunting!**

**Mokuba: I think I'm going with PhantomBrat and the others. I'll be safer with them. Until next time.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Oops...I guess it's been a whole year since Broken was updated...**

**Bakura: YOU GUESS?! How can you say that?**

**I lost track of time. *Bawling***

**Amethyst-Jade: *Glares at Bakura* Nice going, jerk. Now you made her cry.**

***Sobbing and wailing***

**Amethyst-Jade: Face the wrath of Dark Magician Girl!**

LINE

Solomon watched as Yugi ate his early dinner of mashed potatoes and diced hotdogs with a glass of strawberry juice. "I would like you to try to stay up a little later than six tonight," he told Yugi while he ate. "After that, you can sleep anytime you want. I just want you to try to stay up a little longer each day, Yugi. I know that everything you're doing tires you out at the moment, but you need to try to sleep less."

Yugi nodded, understanding where his grandfather was going in his simple request. He had been sleeping a lot, mostly after his therapy sessions and whenever he pushed himself to his limits. "I'll try, Grandpa," he whispered.

Solomon smiled and took Yugi's empty plate back to the kitchen. Yami came back in and started on his homework. While Yami studied, Yugi watched a movie on the laptop Seto gave him and Yami. When Yami finished his packet of homework, it was five-thirty and Yugi was struggling to stay awake. Solomon had entered the room at that moment to check on his grandsons. He saw Yugi's failing attempts to stay awake, "You can go ahead and sleep Yugi," he stated. "I'm glad that you tried to stay up longer today."

Yugi finally quit his fight to stay awake and gave into sleep's call. "Why don't you go downstairs and eat your dinner," Solomon suggested to Yami. "I'll watch over Yugi while you're eating."

Yami sat his homework packet on the foot of Yugi's bed on his way out of the room. Solomon sat down and watched his youngest grandson sleep. He had tried to call his daughter-in-law and talk her into coming home for at least a few days, but she brushed him off once more. Solomon sighed as he recalled their 'conversation':

"_Thank you for calling ComfortCruz, Zoë Kagurazaka speaking."_

"_Zoë, it's Solomon."_

He heard a faint sigh on the other end. _"What now?"_

"_Have you checked your e-mail recently?"_

"_Yes, I didn't particularly like the fact that someone emailed me a story on Yugi's condition. Why are you doing this to me?"  
><em>

"_He's your son, Zoë. He needs you to be there for him as a mother should."_

"_He doesn't need me. He's got you and Yami."_

"_I'm not going to be around forever. And Yami can't be there all the time for him. Even his cousins can't give him the support a parent should."_

"_What cousins? Jamie was an only child and Chrys' kids vanished after their deaths."_

"_I've found them. They were in Domino all along. Seto and Mokuba have been taking care of Yugi since his release from the hospital a month or so ago."_

"_If you're speaking of the Kaiba's I told you that I didn't want my son around the oldest Kaiba."_

"_You aren't here to prevent that. Besides, it's not like they're complete strangers. Seto and Mokuba are family, even though they were adopted by another."_

"_That boy will never be considered family. He tried to kill my baby."_

"_Listen to yourself Zoë. You aren't making any sense at all. First you try to deny the fact that Yugi needs you as a parent, and then you act as if he's the five-year-old that you abandoned in your quest to rid yourself of the reminders of that night. I won't call you again. But be forewarned, I can't keep the truth away from my grandson much longer. He will find out eventually."_

"_You wouldn't dare tell him about Jamie."_

Seto had been listening to the conversation with Solomon's approval. He cut in, _"Yugi has a right to know about his father, 'Miss. Kagurazaka'. I'm going to let you in on an important piece of information, your abandoning Yugi over ten years ago relieved you of all parental rights. You literally signed him over to Mr. Mutou when you signed the papers giving him guardianship of Yugi. He is the one who says what Yugi can and can't do. Oh, and one more thing, I looked into the matter of our possible relationship to you. Our mother would have been ashamed to call you her sister. I'll leave you to your thoughts and Mr. Mutou." _He hung up his line, leaving Solomon and Zoë to talk.

"_Who was that that was so rude in speaking to me?"_

"_Seto. He's right, you know. You gave up your rights as Yugi's mother when you gave me custody of him. I won't be calling again. Feel free to call whenever. Goodbye Zoë."_

Yugi turned in his sleep and would have fallen from the bed had it not been for the guardrail that was part of the bed's design. Solomon was relieved that Seto had thought of buying that particular bed frame for Yugi's temporary room. After Yugi's getting out of bed unaided, Seto had Tristan put them on. Yami returned to their room ten minutes after he had left. Noting the curiosity on his adopted grandfather's face at his early return, Yami stated, "Vance made me a sandwich and some vegetables for dinner."

"I see," Solomon began. "Yami, I'm afraid that the only family that Yugi has left apart from the two of us is Seto and Mokuba. His own mother has abandoned her role as a parent. He's going to need us more than ever."

Yami nodded, "I understand. I wanted to let you know that I'm sorry about my recent behavior and for what I have allowed to happen to Yugi."

"You were forgiven the moment that you took part in his recovery, Yami," Solomon said. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

After Yami settled in for the night, Solomon left the room and headed towards his own temporary one for the night.

LINE

Yugi woke up and saw that Yami was still asleep. Already bored, he spotted Yami's homework packet and that there was a pencil clipped to the first few pages. Using the guardrails to sit up, Yugi grabbed the corner of the packet. Once he finally got it, Yugi opened the folder and looked at Yami's work. He lightly circled the answers that Yami got wrong and used one of the spare lined papers to work out the problems for him.

Near the last two problems, Yami woke up and saw Yugi's current activity. "What are you doing, aibou," Yami asked him.

Yugi jumped, startled at the break in the silence. He dropped the folder and Yami picked it up. "I was bored," Yugi said in a stronger whisper than usual.

Yami noted that Yugi had corrected his homework and showed him an easy way to solve the math problems. "Thank you Yugi," he said. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

Yugi smiled and nodded.

Yami left the room and headed to the kitchen. A cook already had a tray set up with two bowls of oatmeal and warm pudding. There were two glasses of orange juice and two small containers with Yugi's medicine and liquid vitamins. Yami said his thanks before taking the tray back to his room.

Yugi saw the pudding and reached out eagerly for it. Yami smirked and placed one of the pre-measured cups in his hands, "Medicine and vitamins first, aibou."

Yugi groaned, but downed the contents of the cups anyways. Pleased that Yugi took his medication, Yami handed him the pudding, "I won't tell Grandpa that you had desert first."

"Thank you, Yami," Yugi replied with a stronger whisper.

Yami sat next to Yugi and ate breakfast with him. About 7:30, Seto entered the room. "I'm leaving and need your homework packet. I'm dropping it off at school on my way to KaibaCorp. One of your friends will bring you your next assignments later," he told Yami.

Yami handed him the corrected packet, "Thank you, Seto."

"Whatever," Seto grumbled. "Matthew and the rest of the staff are going to check on you two throughout the day while your grandfather is tending the shop. The therapist is coming by about the same time as Yugi's doctor. Vance will show them in. Call me if anything happens."

He left before Yami could say anything. He looked over at Yugi, "Well, it looks like our long-lost cousin is warming up to you a bit."

Yugi laughed lightly at Yami's statement.

LINE

**Ryou: Soooo when do you think Bakura will get back?**

**Amethyst-Jade: Who cares. He made PhantomBrat cry.**

**Ryou: ~.~**

**Yugi: PhantomBrat is extremely apologetic for making everyone wait for so long. Between college, work, and getting her wisdom teeth, she's been kept busy.**

**Malik: Not to forget the massive brick wall made up of Writer's Blocks and Plot Holes.**

**Ryou: Please forgive her.**

**Amethyst-Jade: Until next time...**


	34. Chapter 34

**I'm soooo sorry! I haven't updated this fanfic since December 25, 2012! I'm so horrible!**

**Ryou: There, there, PhantomBrat. I'm sure that your readers will forgive you.**

***Sniffs* Really?**

**Yugi: Yup.**

**Joey: You bet'cha.**

**Malik: Positive.**

**Mokuba: Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Jonah and Marcy met on the front steps of Seto's mansion and were let in by Vance. "Yami and Yugi are in their room," he stated as he led them to said room. "Yugi's just finished his light lunch and is waiting for the two of you."<p>

As they entered the room, they took note of Yugi's appearance. He looked better than he had just since they had last seen him. He was gaining weight that he had lost during his illness and was sitting up without pillows supporting him. Yugi looked up from the video that he and Yami were watching on the computer. "Hello," he softly spoke.

Marcy smiled, "Well it looks like you're getting stronger and it seems that I don't need to work on your upper body today. By the way, young man, I heard about your little adventure." Yugi cringed at the thought of another scolding. She noticed this, "I just wanted to say, wait until someone can watch you before you try that again."

Yugi nodded as Jonah checked his vitals. "Just a few more days of partial bed-rest and you're free," Jonah announced. "You can try some solid foods today if you're up to it."

Yugi grinned. "Hamburgers," he asked hopefully.

Jonah chuckled, "Of course, but they'll have to be cut into bite-sized pieces for the first few times."

"Let's see how you do today," Marcy stated as Yami helped Jonah clear a space for Yugi's therapy session. "I want you to try to see how well you can walk. You're goal is your brother."

Yugi nodded as he tried to hold himself up without too much aid. Marcy and Jonah stood at Yugi's sides in case he fell. He was a bit off balance at first and managed to get to Yami before his legs gave out. Yami managed to catch him before he hit the floor. Yugi looked up at Yami and smiled, "I did it."

"Yes you did," Yami replied, feeling proud of Yugi's accomplishment.

Marcy helped set Yugi in a chair, "That was very good. I want you to continue doing this for the next few days. I recommend having three others in here to help you both. Yugi, touch my hand with your right foot."

"I'm going to go get something for Yugi to drink," Yami said while Marcy was working with Yugi. He left the room and headed to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>When Yami got to the kitchen, the cell phone in his pocket rang. He answered it.<p>

"Hello."

"_Who is this? You don't sound like my Yugi."_

"I'm his brother, Yami. May I ask who is calling?"

"_His mother."_

"Hello mother. Yugi's in the middle of therapy and cannot be bothered."

"_I am his mother and I have every right to speak with my baby."_

"He can't speak above a whisper right now and if he tries, he'll strain his voice."

"_You're lying, Yami."_

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but whenever it comes to Yugi, I don't lie. I'd better go,he's thirsty and I have delayed getting him something to drink long enough. I'll letGrandpa know that you called."

With that, Yami hung up the phone and pulled out the battery. "I'd better ask Grandpa about getting Yugi's number changed," Yami stated to no one.

* * *

><p>Yugi was lying in bed watching an online video with Yami when their friends arrived. The five of them were loaded down with bags of stuff. Joey's bag had split down the side and envelopes were falling to the floor. After they had set the bags down, Tea noticed Yugi's curiosity, "Everyone heard about you being sick and decided to get you cards and stuff."<p>

Yami got up and helped them sort through the bags, separating packages from cards and letters. Ryou found several packets of homework belonging to other students. Joey snatched a letter off one of them, "Figured you'd get bored, have fun doing my homework. I expect a 'B' or better. Signed Randy. P.S. If you don't get me this grade, I'll…" Joey growled and balled up the sticky note.

Bakura glared at the stacks of other people's homework. Some had kind notes asking him if he'd do their work while others bore threats to Yugi if he failed to get them their desired grade. "I say we burn these papers and send their ashes to their rightful owners."

"No, it's best if we took these to the teachers that assigned them and let them know about this. Besides, if we leave the notes attached to the ones they belong to, the student that slipped their homework into Yugi's get-well gifts will get into serious trouble," Ryou pointed out.

Yugi and Yami tore into the wrapped packages and found that the majority of them contained books, puzzles, and games. While they were opening the gifts, Tea, Joey, and Tristan were opening cards and reading them to Yugi. If there was money in the cards, Tea would hand it to Yami. She knew that he and Yugi had always slipped any extra money into the safe when their grandfather wasn't watching. After they had opened all the cards and gifts, Yugi had been given a little over $400 from part of the student body of Domino High.

Yami stood up and looked at the others, "Yugi wanted to tell you guys something important."

"I made it to Yami without falling," Yugi said, grinning.

Everyone stared at Yugi in amazement. Ryou broke the silence, "That's wonderful!"

"But his legs gave out just as he reached me," Yami added. "I caught him just in time. His therapist says that we should try to get him to walk more, but that it's best if there's two other people to be there just in case he falls."

* * *

><p>After everyone went home, Vance entered Yugi and Yami's room, "Mr. Kaiba has requested that you boys eat in the dining room tonight. He sent me to help get Yugi there."<p>

Yugi looks at Yami, "Can I try to walk a little? I'm tired of being carried all the time."

"As long as you let me walk next to you," Yami replied.

Yami walked beside Yugi on the way to the dining room. They had to stop a few times to let Yugi catch his breath but they made it without any incident. Seto nodded to one of his house staff who proceeded to pull a chair out for Yugi and help him sit down. He offered to help Yami with his chair, but was turned down politely. Three cooks entered the room carrying two covered dishes each, aside from the last who carried only one. They sat their loads down in front of the four teens and Solomon. After dinner, Seto spoke, "I wanted to say that I've heard from your doctor and the therapist that you've recovered faster than they had thought. They say that you should be able to return to school in a few weeks, but until then, you are to take it easy and not overdo it."

"I'm proud of you, Yugi. You too, Yami. You boys didn't give up and for that I am grateful," Solomon added.

Yugi looked at his grandfather, "Does Mom know about what happened? Is she coming to see us?"

This had been a touchy subject for everyone lately. Yami shook his head as Yugi looked between his brother and grandfather. "She knows, but her job has priority to her," Solomon sighed. "She also knows about Seto and Mokuba being your long-lost cousins. Your mother was pretty upset to hear about that."

* * *

><p><strong>Yugi: I finally get to walk! ^.^<br>**

**Yami: You are pretty determined.**

**Yup. Yugi wants to be able to walk unaided, so of course he's going to be a bit stubborn.**

**Yugi: Hopefully the next chapter doesn't take much longer.**


End file.
